Doug Anderson
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
Douglas Anderson Jr. was born in 1948, in Rockland, Maine, and has spent his entire life in Port Clyde, Maine, where he currently resides. He comes from a long line of fishermen, with both his mother's and father's sides of the family deeply involved in the fishing industry. His father was contracted to build a herring plant in Port Clyde in the 1940s, and Douglas was introduced to the fishing lifestyle at a young age, much like a child growing up on a farm. His heritage and early exposure to the industry led him to pursue a career in fishing, which he has thoroughly enjoyed. His family's roots trace back to Scotland on his grandmother's side, and his grandmother was also part Native American. Douglas is married, and his wife, whose father was also a fisherman, has been an integral part of his fishing business, helping with bookkeeping and managing a seafood business they ran in Rockland in the 1980s. They have two children, a daughter and a son.
Scope and Content Note
The interview with Douglas Anderson Jr. provides a detailed account of his life and experiences in the fishing industry in Port Clyde, Maine. He discusses his family's history in the industry, his upbringing, and how he was introduced to fishing at a young age. He also talks about his wife's involvement in the business and their children. Douglas shares his views on the changes in the industry and the community over the years, expressing nostalgia for the past and concern about the impact of technology and outside influences. He also offers advice to young people interested in fishing, emphasizing the importance of having a backup plan and learning other trades. The interview concludes with Douglas recommending Langdon Wilson, a childhood friend, as someone who could provide further insights into the history and changes in the community.
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