Blog Entry

Part Two of the American Lobster in a Changing Ecosystem

by Catherine Schmitt The symposium attracted an impressive media response, starting with the Associated Press (first at the CBS News website, and then a story from the conference about guessing the age of a lobster). Both WCSH6 and WGME covered it on their evening news, as did MPBN radio (including some more extensive interviews available online). […]

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The American Lobster in a Changing Ecosystem

by Catherine Schmitt Today was the first full day of the American Lobster in a Changing Ecosystem: A US-Canada Science Symposium. More than 100 of the region’s top lobster scientists have gathered in Portland, Maine, to share their research. Maine Department of Marine Resources Commissioner Patrick Keliher in his welcome remarks reminded the scientists that […]

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Fishing vessels in Valdez harbor

“Copper River Salmon”

by Catherine Schmitt I recently spent a week on vacation touring the state of Alaska. My tour featured two days in Valdez, a fishing port which is also, as the terminus of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, an oil port. The port was the destination for the tanker Exxon Valdez, which ran aground on Bligh Reef and […]

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For sparkle, just add oysters.

by Catherine Schmitt After a hectic summer of coast-hopping, I finally found myself in Portland, where I’ve been wanting to check out the new Eventide Oyster Co. So I caught up with some good friends at the small, bright space on Middle Street next to Hugo’s Restaurant, of the same owners. Speaking of bright, that […]

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Thoughts on Quality, and the Great Maine Lobster Story of 2012

by Catherine Schmit The Maine Lobster Festival is underway in Rockland, and there will be plenty of lobsters to go around—at an affordable price, too, given the recent surge in supply. Depending on who you are, the abundance of Maine lobster has been a. a concerning trend. b. a blessing. c. a curse. If you […]

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The Downeast Fisheries Trail

by Catherine Schmitt Yesterday I joined my colleague Natalie Springuel and our partners in eastern Maine to officially launch the Downeast Fisheries Trail. The 45 sites on the trail, in Hancock and Washington counties, highlight the region’s maritime heritage. “Heritage” means more than just history. According to Merriam-Webster’s dictionary, heritage means “something transmitted by or […]

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Zeb Woodbury and friend fish alewives out of Seven Mile Stream

Alewife season

by Catherine Schmitt There are fish in these rivers. In the Kennebec, the Penobscot, the rivers in between and either side, the alewives are running. I wrote a story about alewives for the May 2012 issue of Fishermen’s Voice, well before alewife season began. Now I want to see the fish. Yesterday I stopped by the […]

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Sign and front of Jess's Market

Fish Market Afternoon

by Catherine Schmitt On a recent cloudy April afternoon, Jamie Johnson was up to his elbows in sole, black bass, and halibut. Johnson is a manager at Jess’s Market, a busy seafood supplier to the Midcoast region. Johnson married into this family fish market business, but his knife skills and product familiarity suggest he’s found […]

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Cooking with Sea Vegetables

Today’s post is from Sarah Redmond, our new resident seaweed expert, who recently attended a “Cooking with Sea Vegetables” event at Five Seasons Cooking School, a small demonstration kitchen set up in the home of Lisa Silverman, a whole foods chef, cooking teacher, and wellness coach. Silverman is a graduate of the Kushi Institute, a retreat […]

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close up of shrimp

A Sweet, Short Shrimp Season

by Catherine Schmitt A few weeks ago I promised more information on buying and preparing Maine shrimp. Well, whaddya know the season ended last Friday. So, for those of you lucky enough to have snagged a final pound (or two, or three…), I’ll offer some final words until next year. I picked up some fresh shrimp […]

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