Tag Archives: Port Clyde
The Last of the Port Clyde Groundfishermen – Once robust, Maine’s groundfishery is on the ropes
When Randy Cushman was growing up in Port Clyde, some 300 trawlers were moored up and down Maine’s coast,,, Today, Cushman is 59 years old and might be Maine’s most knowledgeable commercial fishermen.,, But Cushman is barely scraping by. Prices for cod, flounder, and other groundfish have all but collapsed in Maine. The combination of rock-bottom prices, the need to protect the state’s fish stocks, and a dearth of fishing infrastructure make it harder than ever to be a fisherman here. Today, the robust Maine trawler fleet of Cushman’s youth has been reduced to around 30 boats. photos, >click to read< 14:21
Obituary: Roger E. Libby – Port Clyde, Maine
Roger Edgar Libby, 88, died peacefully, following a period of declining health, Friday, March 5, 2021. Born in Thomaston, he was the son of Edgar and Dorothy Cramer Libby. Following high school Roger entered the U.S. Navy serving in the Mediterranean Sea on an Air Craft Carrier during the Korean War. Returning to the States, he married Betty Kobs on June 13, 1954. Roger spent much of his career as a truck driver. Starting as a “milk man,” he worked his way up,,,. Always called to the ocean, Rogers dream was to be a fishing captain. For many years he and Betty ran a successful commercial fishing fleet. He fished off and on through his life, and in recent years loved going out on the water with his sons. He will be sadly missed by all who knew him. >click to read< 14:23
Maine coastal town’s leaders vote to oppose offshore wind project
The St. George Select Board voted Monday to oppose an offshore wind project taking shape about 12 miles away, standing with local fishermen who say the project and its transmission cable would harm their livelihoods. The unanimous vote follows a recommendation made by an advisory committee created last month by the five-person Select Board to weigh the impact the Maine Aqua Ventus offshore wind project would have on the local community. “I think it’s a good idea we sever ourselves from [Maine Aqua Ventus] and that we support the fishermen in any way we can,” Select Board member Randy Elwell said Monday. click here to read the story 21:39
Afraid my way of life may be replaced by wind turbines
My name is Dustin Delano. I’m a 27-year-old lobstermen from Friendship. I find myself at a loss of words today. Completely frustrated and lost in which direction to go next. Last night, I attended a selectmen’s meeting in St. George as they were seeking public comment on allowing a cable to come ashore in Port Clyde which will connect commercial wind turbines located south of Monhegan Island to the mainland. The fishing heritage in the gulf of Maine is incredibly magnificent. For generations, my family and other families along the coast have worked together and made a living from the fruit of the sea. Now, in the year 2017, this generational way of life is at risk and could possibly be ruined. click here to read the story 19:52
Gulf of Maine: What happens when a small Maine town and an offshore energy project collide
A project taking shape about 12 miles offshore from the village of Port Clyde is creating a rift in the tight-knit fishing communities on the St. George peninsula. On one side is Maine Aqua Ventus, a pilot project to test floating turbines as sources of renewable energy. On the other side are fishing families concerned that the turbines and cables used to transport the energy ashore could disrupt fishing habitats on which they rely.,,, “Our largest concern is what is going to happen after this,” said Randy Cushman, 55, a lifelong fisherman and resident of Port Clyde. “I’m worried about the next generation of fishermen, that’s what I’m worried about. I could really see them being eliminated by this. I really can.” click here to read the story 08:13
Book Review: I got caught by Caught
From Tony Small’s first photo and Glen Libby’s first quote, I was hooked by their wonderful book: Caught – Time. Place. Fish. “Changing the world was not as simple as it seemed here in Port Clyde, but a remarkable thing happened…” That’s the first thing I read, and it was so true: this is the story of a truly remarkable achievement in Port Clyde, Maine, one of my favorite places. As Port Clyde’s fishing industry declined, due to the disappearance of shrimp and other species, Glen jumped up and organized the first Community Supported Fishery (CSF) in the nation. The CSF was designed to process and sell the fish and allow fishermen to capture more of the profits. It was not an immediate success. click here to read the story 09:38
Someone sank a Maine lobsterman’s boat intentionally . Twice
The Maine Marine Patrol is investigating the sinking of a Port Clyde lobsterman’s boat on Wednesday, just days after the owner had repaired the boat after an earlier sinking on Aug. 17. Tony Hooper, 37, said his lobster boat was released from its mooring overnight, with hoses and bilge wires cut, and left to wash up on a nearby island. The sinking comes little more than a month after an earlier incident when his boat was found 30 feet underwater. “I’m doing all I can to keep my wits about me,” he said. “This is getting ridiculous.” Hooper said he had already lost around $30,000 to repairs for the boat after the first incident and weeks spent off the water. This time, he said he was lucky to have found the boat beached on a nearby island at low tide, with water in the engine. He said he does not know how much these new repairs will cost. “I’ve been losing traps all season,” Hooper said. “I’ve always had a little bit of a problem before, but not to this extent.” Read the story here 09:38
