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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences

Driving The Workhorse: Maine’S Reliance On The Nearshore Environment, Angela Brewer Dec 2023

Driving The Workhorse: Maine’S Reliance On The Nearshore Environment, Angela Brewer

Maine Policy Review

The changing character of Maine’s coastal ecosystems has accelerated in full view of the users most reliant on nearshore habitats and the species they support. Adaptation and diversification facilitate continued harvest of Maine’s iconic ocean bounty, which supports the coastal economy despite compounding stresses from upland development, warmer and more acidic waters, and invasive species. Use intensification in the nearshore environment calls for coordinated discussions to nurture and innovate within and across habitats to preserve their longevity and sustain the people that depend on them. Recent legislative support for eelgrass and salt marsh mapping, and estuarine and marine water quality …


What Gives Me Hope, Heather M. Leslie Dec 2023

What Gives Me Hope, Heather M. Leslie

Maine Policy Review

The commentary focuses on the author's experiences over the last several years in Maine where she has conducted research, mentored students, and collaboratde with diverse community partners on a number of projects focused on shellfish fisheries co-management and other community-led resilience projects in coastal Maine.


Maine’S Potential To Be A Global Leader In Sustainable Seaweed Harvesting And Management, Hannah M. Webber, Stefan Claesson, Shep Erhart, Catherine V. Schmitt, Jessica F. Muhlin Jan 2023

Maine’S Potential To Be A Global Leader In Sustainable Seaweed Harvesting And Management, Hannah M. Webber, Stefan Claesson, Shep Erhart, Catherine V. Schmitt, Jessica F. Muhlin

Maine Policy Review

A multitude of macroalgae (i.e., seaweed) species that are harvested in Maine are economically and ecologically important. Currently, management of these resources in Maine is focused on rockweed (Ascophyllum nodosum). This seaweed grows in abundance along intertidal rocky shores and provides a number of benefits including serving as habitat and nursery for many species including fin-fish, coastal protection from storms and sea level rise, carbon sequestration, and is a harvestable natural resource used primarily in fertilizer and animal feed production. It is critical that these functions and benefits are maintained and harvesting activities managed to ensure a sustainable …


Comanagement In Maine: Integrating Fishermen’S Ecological Knowledge Into Government Oversight Of Fisheries, Anne Hayden Jan 2023

Comanagement In Maine: Integrating Fishermen’S Ecological Knowledge Into Government Oversight Of Fisheries, Anne Hayden

Maine Policy Review

Comanagement is the sharing of responsibility for management between fishermen and fisheries agencies. It shifts fishermen’s incentives to include longer term conservation goals, generates fine-scale information for management that would not otherwise be available, and develops fishing strategies that are consistent with conservation. Analysis of comanaged fisheries in Maine, for lobster, clams, river herring, and scallops, indicates that comanagement improves fisheries productivity and is more effective than standard, top-down, broad-scale fisheries management.


Reducing Plastic Pollution In The Ocean: Mycobuoys As A Potential Solution, Sue S. Van Hook Jan 2023

Reducing Plastic Pollution In The Ocean: Mycobuoys As A Potential Solution, Sue S. Van Hook

Maine Policy Review

Natural mushroom mycelium-based MycoBuoys are an alternative to ubiquitous plastic flotation devices used in Maine aquaculture, fisheries and harbors. They fit perfectly into a circular economic model where natural resources are borrowed for a specific purpose and are returned as elements at the end of product life. MycoBuoys may be composted or used as mulch where 100% of the material enhances soil nutrients upon decomposition. In contrast to this cradle-to-cradle product, currently ubiquitous Stryofoam buoys have expensive end life costs in terms of ecosystem and organismal health consequences. Styrene is a known carcinogen, and the foam particles degrade into smaller …


Community Science In Support Of Ecosystem-Based Management: A Case Study From The Damariscotta River Estuary, Maine, Usa, Sarah C. Risley, Kara E. Pellowe, Melissa L. Britsch, Meredith M. White, Heather M. Leslie Jan 2023

Community Science In Support Of Ecosystem-Based Management: A Case Study From The Damariscotta River Estuary, Maine, Usa, Sarah C. Risley, Kara E. Pellowe, Melissa L. Britsch, Meredith M. White, Heather M. Leslie

Maine Policy Review

Coastal marine ecosystems are dynamic social-ecological systems (SESs) that support diverse ecosystem services and human activities. The complexity of SESs means that ecosystem-based approaches are increasingly used to support coastal marine ecosystem stewardship. We report how a community science program in Maine, USA offers a model of organizational innovation to expand capacities for shellfish research and management. Since 2019, we have collaborated with local students, shellfish harvesters, and others in data collection, interpretation, and application, contributing to local shellfish management and ecosystem sustainability. We demonstrate how community-based social and ecological research can build adaptive capacities by centering local knowledge; generating …


Why Is The Depletion Of Our Important Fish Stocks So Persistent?, James A. Wilson Jan 2023

Why Is The Depletion Of Our Important Fish Stocks So Persistent?, James A. Wilson

Maine Policy Review

In the 1980s and 1990s, two events changed the fundamental structure of Maine's coastal ecology: inshore herring and then nearshore groundfish stocks were overfished and disappeared. Surprisingly, even without fishing, there has been no recovery. Standard fisheries management assumes that the recovery of any locally overfished place should be quick – fish from other places will 'fill in.'

In contrast, recent scientific work on social learning among animals suggests that fish have communication and learning abilities comparable to other vertebrates. Learning allows groups of fish to adapt to much more local places than possible if adaptation depended on genetics alone. …


Harold B. "Bud" Rollins (1 February 1939-9 January 2017), Daniel H. Sandweiss May 2020

Harold B. "Bud" Rollins (1 February 1939-9 January 2017), Daniel H. Sandweiss

Andean Past

This is an appreciation of the life and work of invertebrate paleontologist. Harold B. Rollins emphasizing his contributions to our understanding of ENSO.


Notes On Contributors Jul 2018

Notes On Contributors

The Catch

No abstract provided.


On How A Fisherman Supports Fishermen: Oral History With Patrick Shepard, Natalie Springuel Jul 2018

On How A Fisherman Supports Fishermen: Oral History With Patrick Shepard, Natalie Springuel

The Catch

No abstract provided.


Reflections On The Water, Patricia S. Ranzoni Jul 2018

Reflections On The Water, Patricia S. Ranzoni

The Catch

No abstract provided.


The World Is Your Oyster, Aliya Uteuova Jul 2018

The World Is Your Oyster, Aliya Uteuova

The Catch

No abstract provided.


Editor's Note: The Catch Volume Vi, Catherine Schmitt Jul 2018

Editor's Note: The Catch Volume Vi, Catherine Schmitt

The Catch

No abstract provided.


Full Issue Volume Vi Jul 2018

Full Issue Volume Vi

The Catch

No abstract provided.


Notes On Contributors Jun 2017

Notes On Contributors

The Catch

No abstract provided.


The Mackerel Fishermen, Avery B. Stone Jun 2017

The Mackerel Fishermen, Avery B. Stone

The Catch

No abstract provided.


Cormorant, Judy Kaber Jun 2017

Cormorant, Judy Kaber

The Catch

No abstract provided.


Awakening, Angela M. Waldron Jun 2017

Awakening, Angela M. Waldron

The Catch

No abstract provided.


Editor's Note, Leonore Hildebrandt Jun 2017

Editor's Note, Leonore Hildebrandt

The Catch

No abstract provided.


Full Issue Volume V Jun 2017

Full Issue Volume V

The Catch

No abstract provided.


Notes On Contributors Jul 2016

Notes On Contributors

The Catch

No abstract provided.


Long Reach Cove, Sally Bliumis-Dunn Jul 2016

Long Reach Cove, Sally Bliumis-Dunn

The Catch

No abstract provided.


For The Blue Crab, J.D. Smith Jul 2016

For The Blue Crab, J.D. Smith

The Catch

No abstract provided.


The Egg Masses Of The Moon Snail, Kim Roberts Jul 2016

The Egg Masses Of The Moon Snail, Kim Roberts

The Catch

No abstract provided.


Fossil Brothers, Peter H. Spectre Jul 2016

Fossil Brothers, Peter H. Spectre

The Catch

No abstract provided.


In My Father's Boots, Michael G. Dunn Jul 2016

In My Father's Boots, Michael G. Dunn

The Catch

No abstract provided.


An Ocean Venture, Mattie Rodrigue Jul 2016

An Ocean Venture, Mattie Rodrigue

The Catch

No abstract provided.


Editor's Note, Linda Buckmaster Jul 2016

Editor's Note, Linda Buckmaster

The Catch

No abstract provided.


Full Issue Volume Iv Jul 2016

Full Issue Volume Iv

The Catch

No abstract provided.


Notes On Contributors Jun 2015

Notes On Contributors

The Catch

No abstract provided.