Maine Center For Coastal Fisheries

SAFETY TRAINING AND INJURY PREVENTION FOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF NEW ENGLAND FISHERMEN

PURPOSE THE STATE OF MAINES ECONOMY DEPENDS ON FISHERIES AND MARITIME INDUSTRIES, A DEEPLY ROOTED CULTURAL HERITAGE THAT CONTINUES TODAY. THE GULF OF MAINE LOBSTER INDUSTRY EMPLOYS OVER 6,500 ACTIVE HARVESTERS, PLUS CREW AND BUSINESS OFFICE SUPPORT, WITH A JOBS IMPACT MULTIPLIER ESTIMATED AT SEVERAL TIMES THIS FIGURE. THE MAINE WILD CAPTURE LOBSTER FISHERY CONTRIBUTES SIGNIFICANT ECONOMIC VALUE TO U.S. EAST COAST FISHERIES AS THE SECOND MOST VALUABLE FISHERY IN THE NATION, PEAK LANDINGS IN 2021 WERE AT 110 MILLION POUNDS IN LANDINGS WITH AN EX-VESSEL VALUE OF $743 MILLION. THE GULF OF MAINE FISHERY IS A REMARKABLE EXAMPLE OF CO-MANAGEMENT, AND STILL OVER THE PAST THREE DECADES THE FLEET HAS OBSERVED A NOTABLE GRAYING OF THE FLEET. AT THE SAME TIME, MAINES SMALL SCALE AQUACULTURE SECTOR HAS EMERGED RAPIDLY AND SEAFOOD PRODUCTION AND MARITIME PROFESSION OPPORTUNITIES LIE AHEAD IN CAPTURE AND CULTURE FISHERIES FOR THE NEXT GENERATION. THE PRIMARY OBJECTIVE OF THE EASTERN MAINE SKIPPERS PROGRAM (EMSP) IS TO PROVIDE CAREER DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN COMMERCIAL FISHERIES AND INCREASE THE NUMBER OF SKILLED INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE ABLE AND ENCOURAGED TO ENTER MARITIME PROFESSIONS, ADDRESSING THE CURRENT RECRUITMENT AND RETIREMENT CHALLENGES THIS INDUSTRY FACES. IN PARTICULAR, THE EMSP PROGRAM IS PARTICULARLY SUITED TO ADDRESS EACH OF THE BARRIERS TO ENTRY AND TRAINING NEEDS AS OUTLINED IN THE MAINE SEA GRANT PUBLISHED NEEDS ASSESSMENT REPORT. LOOKING AHEAD, WE SEE MASSIVE DISRUPTION ALONG THE COAST OF MAINE GIVEN THE CURRENT TRAJECTORY OF NEW REGULATIONS AND CLIMATE IMPACTS, BUT THE FISHING OUTLOOK AND CAREER OPPORTUNITIES REMAIN POSITIVE IN THE VIBRANT GULF OF MAINE COASTAL ECOSYSTEM. TRAINING NEEDS FOR CURRENT AND NEXT GENERATION FISHERMEN MUST INCLUDE FISHERIES SCIENCE, POLICY, BUSINESS PLANNING, FLEXIBILITY, TRANSFERABLE SKILLS, AND SAFETY-AT-SEA. ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED EMSP DELIVERS TRAININGS THAT INCLUDES PROGRAMS AND WORKSHOPS AS WELL AS COORDINATING SERVICES FOR RURAL AREA PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOLS TO DELIVER SPECIFICALLY IDENTIFIED CURRICULUM FOR 15 TO 18-YEAR OLDS INCLUDING: SEAMANSHIP, NAVIGATION, ELECTRONICS, AND SAFETY-AT-SEA; VESSEL AND ENGINE CARE, MAINTENANCE, AND REPAIR; SUSTAINABLE FISHING PRACTICES; AND OTHER TRAINING NEEDS AS IDENTIFIED BY THE COMMUNITY. EMSP STAFF WILL CONVENE AND PARTNER WITH FISHING ADVISORS AND TEACHING COMMUNITIES, REFINE ANNUAL PLANS FOR TRAINING CURRICULUM, AND OFFER COORDINATING SERVICES FOR AREA HIGH SCHOOLS IMPLEMENTATION OVER THE ACADEMIC CALENDAR. THE PROGRAM ANNUALLY SERVES 8 RURAL MAINE COASTAL COMMUNITY SCHOOLS, EACH WITH 8 HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT PARTICIPANTS, PLUS 2-POST GRADUATES PER SCHOOL AREA, FOR A TOTAL OF 80 STUDENTS PER YEAR. TRAINING DELIVERY FORMAT INCLUDES 100-HOURS OF TRAINING WORKSHOPS, VESSEL-BASED ACTIVITIES, MENTORING AND CAREER PLACEMENT SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS. EXPECTED OUTCOMES THE EMSP DELIVERY-MODEL, WHICH PARTNERS WITH FISHING COMMUNITY PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOLS AND AREA VOCATIONAL PROGRAMS, PROVIDES ACCESS TO THE TRAINING NECESSARY FOR ASPIRING COMMERCIAL FISHERMEN WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF THEIR PUBLIC EDUCATION AND SERVES TO RETAIN THESE STUDENTS IN SCHOOL AS WELL. THE MODEL ALSO BROADENS THE PARTICIPATION OF UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS IN FISHERIES AND CONTRIBUTES TO A DIVERSE SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY BY LOWERING THE BARRIERS TO ENTRY. OVER A 2-YEAR PERIOD, THE INVESTMENT ON BEHALF OF YFDA WILL CONTRIBUTE TO MCCF AND SCHOOL STAFF CAPACITY TO COORDINATE AND DELIVER TRAINING, WHICH WILL EDUCATE AND GRADUATE 160 STUDENTS WITH CORE SKILLS TO ENTER MARITIME CAREERS. INTENDED BENEFICIARIES EMSP SUPPORTS GROWTH OF LOCAL COASTAL ECONOMIES, WHILE PRESERVING LOCAL CULTURE AND HERITAGE FOODWAYS AND ADDRESSING THE CURRENT RECRUITMENT AND RETIREMENT CHALLENGES FACED BY LOCAL FISHING COMMUNITIES. THIS PROPOSAL DIRECTLY ADDRESSES THE PRIORITIES OF THE NATIONAL SEA GRANT OFFICE NOTICE OF FUNDING IN SUPPORT OF THE PRIORITIES OF THE YOUNG FISHERMANS DEVELOPMENT ACT.

THIS PROJECT PROPOSES A COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH PROJECT WITH EXPERIENCED SEA SCALLOP (PLACOPECTEN MAGELLANICUS) GROWERS AND COMMERCIAL SCALLOP FISHERMEN TO MAP THE TEMPORAL AND SPATIAL VARIABILITY OF LARVAL SUPPLY FROM OFFSHORE TO INSHORE ALONG MAINE'S COAST. THIS IS A QUESTION IMPORTANT NOT ONLY TO FURTHER DEVELOPING THE BURGEONING AQUACULTURE INDUSTRY AND MANAGING THE WILD CAPTURE FISHERY, BUT ALSO AT THE HEART OF PARSIMONIOUS ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION. BUILDING COLLABORATIVE TEAMS - SHARING SPACE AND WORKING TOGETHER ON A SHARED INTEREST TOPIC - IS THE BASIS OF RELATIONSHIP BUILDING. BY ENGAGING BOTH HARVESTERS AND FARMERS THEY ARE BUILDING A KNOWLEDGE-SHARING RELATIONSHIP THAT COULD BENEFIT THE NASCENT AQUACULTURE INDUSTRY WHILE FOSTERING THE NECESSARY COMMUNICATION FOR FUTURE PROBLEM SOLVING.

HAS RESTORED ANADROMOUS FISH PASSAGE LED TO INCREASES IN PREDATION BY FEDERALLY MANAGED MARINE PISCIVORES?

PROJECT ABSTRACT THE AMERICAN LOBSTER (HOMARUS AMERICANUS) AND ITS FISHERY ARE FACING A TIME OF SIGNIFICANT COMPLEXITY AND UNCERTAINTY WITH FAR-REACHING ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIOECONOMIC IMPACTS. UNDERSTANDING THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL SYSTEMS IMPACTED BY THESE CHANGES CAN ENHANCE THE INDUSTRY AND COMMUNITIES CAPACITY FOR RESILIENCE TO IMPENDING ENVIRONMENTAL AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT CHANGES. THE GULF OF MAINE LOBSTER INDUSTRY FACES A SERIES OF ECONOMIC PRESSURES IN THE FORM OF INCREASED OPERATING COSTS, PRICE INSTABILITY AND PREDICTED DECLINING CATCHES DUE TO VARIABLE RECRUITMENT. AT THE SAME TIME, DECLINES IN THE NORTH ATLANTIC RIGHT WHALE (EUBALAENA GLACIALIS) POPULATION HAVE TRIGGERED PROTECTED SPECIES INTERVENTION, AND FISHERMEN IN MAINE AND ELSEWHERE ARE BRACING FOR RESTRICTIONS IN THE USE OF VERTICAL LINES, EVEN MORE STRICT THAN THOSE CURRENTLY IN USE IN MASSACHUSETTS BAY AND IN CANADA. PORTIONS OF THE GULF OF MAINE HAVE NOW BEEN SUBJECTED TO FISHERY CLOSURES, WITH SIGNIFICANT COMMUNITY IMPACTS AND MORE EXPECTED. THERE ARE QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT ACTIONS ARE NEEDED AND WHAT STRATEGIES ARE EMERGING FOR COMMUNITY ADAPTATION IN THE FACE OF SIGNIFICANT OPERATIONAL, CLIMATE, AND REGULATORY CHANGES AHEAD. THE MAINE CENTER FOR COASTAL FISHERIES BASED IN STONINGTON, THE #LOBSTER PORT IN MAINE, PROPOSES TO ADMINISTER A SOCIO-ECONOMIC SURVEY TO THE MAINE LOBSTER INDUSTRY TO ASSESS PROFIT EFFICIENCY AND HARVESTER OPERATING MODELS FOR REPRESENTATIVE YEAR FISHING 2023-2024. THIS PROJECT WILL GENERATE A VITAL DATASET CAPTURING PRIMARY HARVESTER SOCIO ECONOMIC DATA IN A CONSISTENT FORMAT TO PRIOR YEARS TO CREATE THE FIRST AND ONLY COMPREHENSIVE LONG-TERM TIME SERIES OF SOCIOECONOMIC SURVEYS FOR THE GULF OF MAINE LOBSTER INDUSTRY. THIS PROPOSAL DIRECTLY ADDRESSES PRIORITIES #3) ASSESSMENTS OF IMPACTS OF ECONOMIC UNCERTAINTY ON SOCIAL SYSTEMS, GOVERNANCE STRUCTURES, AND WORKFORCE DIVERSIFICATION; AND #4) TO EVALUATE ECONOMIC IMPLICATIONS OF POLICY AND POTENTIAL REGULATORY CHANGES AND/OR OTHER FUTURE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT ACTIONS. EXPANDING USES OF THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT AND REGULATORY UNCERTAINTIES RELATED TO THE ATLANTIC LARGE WHALE TAKE REDUCTION PLAN (ALWTRP) HAVE FURTHER INTRODUCED THE POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPACTS TO THE LOBSTER INDUSTRY. THESE CHANGES AFFECT HOW AND WHERE THE LOBSTER INDUSTRY OPERATES, PLACING ADDITIONAL PRESSURES ON FISHING COMMUNITIES. THIS PROPOSAL PROVIDES THE NEEDED RESEARCH TO ASSESS THE ECONOMIC IMPLICATIONS OF AND ADAPTATIONS TO ECOSYSTEM AND/OR REGULATORY CHANGES SO AS TO ENHANCE COMMUNITY RESILIENCY AND FILL A KNOWLEDGE GAP FOR RESOURCE MANAGERS IN NEED OF RESEARCH AND DATA TO INFORM INTEGRATED APPROACHES TO COMPLEX MARINE ISSUES. PROJECT GOAL: IMPROVE THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE ECONOMICS OF THE NEW ENGLAND LOBSTER FISHERY TO INCREASE THE KNOWLEDGE BASE FOR MAKING DECISIONS THAT AFFECT THE PROFITABILITY AND ECONOMIC VIABILITY OF THE COMMERCIAL FISHERY. WE WILL CO-DESIGN AN UPDATED COST AND EFFORT SURVEY AND QUESTIONNAIRE IN COLLABORATION WITH THE PROJECT ADVISORY GROUP; INCLUDE FUEL CONSUMPTION AND ENERGY USAGE QUESTIONS. DESIGN AND PRODUCE SURVEY INSTRUMENT AND OUTREACH MATERIALS SO AS TO MAXIMIZE SURVEY RESPONSE RATES AND INDUSTRY PARTICIPATION. WE WILL CONDUCT OUTREACH ACTIVITIES TO SUPPORT SURVEY PARTICIPATION BY THE HARVEST SECTOR OF THE LOBSTER INDUSTRY. WITH AN UPDATED COSTS AND EFFORT RAW DATA SET FOR REPRESENTATIVE YEAR 2023 - 2024, WE WILL EVALUATE A LATENT CLASS STOCHASTIC FRONTIER MODEL TO DESCRIBE OVERALL FLEET CHARACTERISTICS AND PROFIT EFFICIENCIES OF THE IDENTIFIED BUSINESS MODELS. WE WILL GROUND TRUTH AND WORK TO DISSEMINATE RESULTS AND FINDINGS THESE DATA COLLECTED WILL PROVIDE A REPRESENTATIVE YEAR OF HARVESTER ECONOMIC PROFIT EFFICIENCY ASSESSMENTS TO INFORM DECISION-MAKING OF THE MAINE LOBSTER ADVISORY COUNCILS, ASMFC, AND MAINES DMR. THESE OUTPUTS WILL FURTHER AID FISHERMEN IN THEIR EVALUATION OF PROPOSED CONSERVATION ALTERNATIVES, AND GEAR INVESTMENTS. ANALYSIS BY THE NATION

A COMPREHENSIVE SAFETY, WELLNESS, AND CHANGE PROGRAM FOR NEW ENTRANTS AND EXISTING PERSONS IN THE COMMERCIAL FISHING INDUSTRY IN DOWNEAST MAINE

THE MAINE CENTER FOR COASTAL FISHERIES WILL UNDERTAKE PLANNING TO PREPARE FOR AN EXPANSION OF ITS DISCOVERY WHARF INTERPRETIVE CENTER. LOCATED IN MAINE’S TOP LOBSTER LANDING PORT, THE CENTER ENGAGES AND INFORMS THE PUBLIC ABOUT COASTAL COMMUNITIES, LOCAL FISHERIES, AND THE MARINE ECOSYSTEM. CENTER STAFF WILL PARTNER WITH LOCAL STAKEHOLDERS TO FORM AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE, DEVELOP EXHIBITION THEMES, CREATE A BUSINESS AND STAFFING NEEDS PLAN, AND COMPLETE INTERPRETIVE TRAINING. THE CENTER WILL CONTRACT WITH A MUSEUM CONSULTANT TO ASSIST WITH EXHIBITION DESIGN AND PLANNING. THE PROJECT WILL RESULT IN A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FOR THE EXPANSION OF DISCOVERY WHARF TO MEET THE DEMANDS OF VISITATION AND SUPPORT COMMUNITY EDUCATIONAL NEEDS. BENEFICIARIES OF THE PROJECT INCLUDE CENTER STAFF, LOCAL EDUCATION GROUPS, THE COASTAL MAINE COMMUNITY, AND VISITING TOURISTS.