The First Coast

Interviewee Collection Sort descending Description Interviewer Date of Interview Location of Interview Affiliation
David, Cynthia, and Emily Thomas Voices of the Maine Fishermen's Forum 2018

David, Cynthia, and Emily Thomas are from Islesford, Cranberry Islands, ME. David is a retired school teacher and lobsterman, Cynthia works at the island library, and their daughter Emily attended college and now works in Nova Scotia, CA, though she grew up on the Cranberry Islands. They speak about the diversification of Islesford, temperature impacting the location of lobsters, and changes in island life, such as setting up reliable internet service but losing the island store.

Matt Frassica, Teagan White Rockland, ME Maine Fishermen’s Forum, Maine Sea Grant, The First Coast, College of the Atlantic, The Island Institute
Phoebe Jekielek Voices of the Maine Fishermen's Forum 2018

Phoebe Jekielek, an education program leader on Hurricane Island, ME, speaks about the realities and importance of working with students on Hurricane Island. She discusses changes she has observed through her years of work and the successes and challenges of aquaculture in education.

Rebecca Clark Uchena Rockland, ME Maine Fishermen’s Forum, Maine Sea Grant, The First Coast, College of the Atlantic, The Island Institute
David Myslabodski Voices of the Maine Fishermen's Forum 2018

David Myslabodski, who was born in Mexico, lived in Israel, and is currently living in Rockland, ME, is a seaweed consultant. He describes his efforts to improve the quality and cost-effectiveness of growing and processing seaweeds and speaks in detail about the economy, demand, production, and tensions in and around the seaweed industry in Maine.

Galen Koch Rockland, ME Maine Fishermen’s Forum, Maine Sea Grant, The First Coast, College of the Atlantic, The Island Institute
Richard Nelson Voices of the Maine Fishermen's Forum 2018

Richard Nelson is a retired lobsterman out of Friendship, ME. He moved to Maine to continue a musical instrument repair business, but the ocean view from the window of his shop called him out onto the water. He tells the story of how he started out helping and learning from a long-time lobsterman while slowly building up his own equipment and credibility in the community.

Galen Koch, Rebecca Clark Uchena Rockland, ME Maine Fishermen’s Forum, Maine Sea Grant, The First Coast, College of the Atlantic, The Island Institute
Frank Heller Voices of the Maine Fishermen's Forum 2018

Frank Heller and Jack Collins, two friends and prospective aquaculturists from Brunswick, ME, share anecdotes from their life including how Heller broke his leg while walking on Popham Beach, was treated by the same doctor as Stephen King, and few years later, broke his wrist in the same location as the leg. Both men are interested in organic ocean farming and discuss the information they learned at the Forum about oyster aquaculture and seasteads.

Galen Koch, Teagan White Rockland, ME Maine Fishermen’s Forum, Maine Sea Grant, The First Coast, College of the Atlantic, The Island Institute
Robert Morse Voices of the Maine Fishermen's Forum 2018

Robert Morse is the owner of Atlantic Laboratories North American Kelp. He runs a plant in Waldoboro, ME, that has been operating since the 1970s to produce fertilizers and animal feed supplements out of rockweed. They export to more than 24 countries and have established a global market for seaweed. Morse talks about the uses for “liquid seaweed” as well as how the seaweed business has changed over the years.

Galen Koch Rockland, ME Maine Fishermen’s Forum, Maine Sea Grant, The First Coast, College of the Atlantic, The Island Institute
Jack Collins Voices of the Maine Fishermen's Forum 2018

Frank Heller and Jack Collins, two friends and prospective aquaculturists from Brunswick, ME, share anecdotes from their life including how Heller broke his leg while walking on Popham Beach, was treated by the same doctor as Stephen King, and few years later, broke his wrist in the same location as the leg. Both men are interested in organic ocean farming and discuss the information they learned at the Forum about oyster aquaculture and seasteads.

Galen Koch, Teagan White Rockland, ME Maine Fishermen’s Forum, Maine Sea Grant, The First Coast, College of the Atlantic, The Island Institute
Rustin Taylor Voices of the Maine Fishermen's Forum 2018

Rustin Taylor, from Somesville, ME, is an elver fisherman who fishes around Mount Desert Island and Ellsworth. He talks about the changes in the fishery over time and the environmental balances to consider when fishing. He explains some of the factors that affect this fishery, such as water level fluctuations caused by the Union River Dam and the quota system established after the 2013 season.

Natalie Springuel, Rebecca Clark Uchena Rockland, ME Maine Fishermen’s Forum, Maine Sea Grant, The First Coast, College of the Atlantic, The Island Institute
Glenn Robbins Voices of the Maine Fishermen's Forum 2018

Glenn Robbins is a herring and lobster fisherman out of Rockland, ME. He has extensive experience on the sea as he started fishing when he was 12 years old. He compares purse seining and trawling and talks about their effects on marine ecosystems. Robbins also speaks about the changes, as well as the rises and falls, in the fisheries over the past 60 years. Robbins emphasizes how important it is to fish sustainably and protect fishing grounds.

Natalie Springuel Rockland, ME Maine Fishermen’s Forum, Maine Sea Grant, The First Coast, College of the Atlantic, The Island Institute
Sam Ladley Voices of the Maine Fishermen's Forum 2018

Sam Ladley, who summered on Matinicus, ME, as a child, started to go lobstering with his father and fellow youngsters by the age of 8. Ladley shares stories from his childhood fishing with his family and friends including how he survived a sinking ship accident and how, another time, their boat’s engine broke in a thick fog.

Natalie Springuel Rockland, ME Maine Fishermen’s Forum, Maine Sea Grant, The First Coast, College of the Atlantic, The Island Institute