MAINE The Magazine • May 2021
Along with the lauded lobster, one reason tourists flock to Vacationland every year is to consume basket upon basket of fried clams (along with steamed and chowdered clams). But anyone can dig for buried bivalves here? One of the state legislature’s first acts, in 1821, was to create laws to manage the state’s natural shellfish resources. There are only two states in the country (the other being Massachusetts) that have local, hands-on supervision. Coastal municipalities hire a certified shellfish warden to enforce licensing and harvest limits, and all residents have to do is go to their town clerk and inquire about getting a recreational license. Nonresidents can also apply but every town has different limits based on their resources, so be sure to check before your trip.