Andy and Jim Barstow
Assessing Vulnerability and Resilience in Maine Fishing Communities
This project developed a participatory, place-based approach for assessing the vulnerability and resilience of Maine fishing communities, documenting threats and resources available to respond to those threats. To understand the forces driving vulnerability, Johnson and graduate students Cameron Thompson and Anna Henry worked with community stakeholders to identify opportunities and strategies for improving resilience of fishing communities. They produced a summary report, entitled, “In Their Own Words: Fishermen’s Perspectives of Community Resilience.”
Once upon a time, Maine fishermen and women harvested a diversity of species, from groundfish and herring to lobsters, clams, shrimp, and scallops, depending on market conditions and resource abundance. Today, Maine’s fishing culture is concentrated in 50 coastal communities and is overwhelmingly dependent on lobster, while regulations have restricted other fisheries. Since 1990, the number of vessels landing groundfish in Maine dropped from 350 to 70. At least 72 groundfish permits have been lost, and dramatic changes in management are imminent, leading Johnson to wonder, “How vulnerable are Maine’s fishing communities? What can be done to improve their resiliency to future change?”
These are the questions that federal fisheries managers must ask when assessing the impact of new rules, yet too often they don’t have the right data to answer the questions. This project developed a participatory, place-based approach for assessing the vulnerability and resilience of Maine fishing communities, documenting threats and resources available to respond to those threats. To understand the forces driving vulnerability, Johnson and graduate students Cameron Thompson and Anna Henry worked with community stakeholders to identify opportunities and strategies for improving resilience of fishing communities.
National Capital Contracting
Jim Barstow, born on September 21, 1943, in St. Louis, Missouri, during the Second World War, has spent most of his life in St. George, Maine. He moved to Maine in 1972 and has been living there ever since, drawn by the community and his childhood friends. Jim's entrepreneurial spirit led him to purchase and renovate the Ocean House Hotel, followed by the Seaside Inn, and eventually the Monhegan Boat Line in 1976. His family, particularly on his mother's side, hails from Pennsylvania and New York State, where they are primarily farmers. This connection has been instrumental in sourcing white oak for rebuilding their vessels.
Andy Barstow, Jim's son, was born in 1969, in Brockport, New York, but grew up in Maine, specifically in Thomaston, where he currently resides. Like his father, Andy has a deep connection to the area and the family business. He attended Maine Maritime and spent ten years at sea, sailing on tankers. Andy's childhood was marked by a strong sense of community, with memories of playing baseball, attending school, and participating in sports with the other island kids.
Scope and Content Note
The interview with Jim and Andy Barstow provides a rich narrative of their lives, their family history, and their experiences living and working in Maine. The interview then delves into their reasons for living in Maine, their family history, and their business ventures, including the purchase and renovation of the Ocean House Hotel, the Seaside Inn, and the Monhegan Boat Line. The interview also provides a glimpse into the community life in Maine, with anecdotes about the local children, community gatherings during power outages, and the local baseball team. The Barstows discuss the changes they've observed over the years, including the decline in the number of children and the disappearance of the fishing fleet. They also touch on the challenges of sourcing lumber for their boat-building business and the importance of their family connections in Pennsylvania and New York State in this regard. The interview also delves into the Barstows' views on the state's attitude towards business, with anecdotes about their experiences with the Department of Transportation and the local Chamber of Commerce. They discuss the challenges they've faced in their business due to state regulations and the local culture, which they perceive as being hostile towards success.
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