WORKING WATERFRONT • April 14, 2021
Working waterfronts are an overlooked part of Maine’s local and regional food system infrastructure, and 2020 was a stark reminder that working waterfront preservation must be a priority as we look to the future. Hundreds of millions of pounds of some of the best food in the world are carried across our docks by the salty, calloused hands of Maine seafood harvesters, yet there are few resources available for protecting or investing in working waterfront properties. One of the only tools we have to protect working waterfront properties in Maine comes from the Land for Maine’s Future Program. MCFA is working with partners from throughout the state to advocate for the refunding of the LMF program to ensure that our fishermen, aquaculturists, and fishing communities have the infrastructure they need to keep harvesting the best seafood in the world. ~ Ben Martens, Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association