Howie Edwards
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
On October 21, 2011, Cameron Thompson interviewed Howard "Howie" Edwards, Jr., in Rockland, Maine, for the project Assessing Vulnerability and Resilience in Maine Fishing Communities. Edwards, a lifelong resident of Rockland, reflects on his experiences growing up in the region, his family's multi-generational ties to the area, and his personal history as a part-time lobsterman during his youth. He provides an in-depth account of the evolution of Rockland's fishing community, from its peak with sardine canneries and fish processing plants to its transition into a mixed-use harbor focused on tourism and lobster fishing.
Edwards discusses changes in the local economy, including the decline of commercial fisheries and the rise of tourism, with an emphasis on infrastructure improvements and challenges in maintaining a balance between recreational and commercial harbor uses. He details the community's resilience and adaptation strategies, such as diversifying livelihoods and regulating fisheries, while addressing the vulnerabilities posed by economic fluctuations, overfishing, and environmental factors. Edwards also describes the historical significance of lobstering in Rockland, the complexities of harbor management, and the importance of sustaining commercial fishing infrastructure for the community's future.
Please Note: The oral histories in this collection are protected by copyright and have been created for educational, research and personal use as described by the Fair Use Doctrine in the U.S. Copyright law. Please reach out Voices@noaa.gov to let us know how these interviews are being used in your research, project, exhibit, etc. The Voices staff can help provide other useful resources related to your inquiry.
The NOAA mission is to understand and predict changes in climate, weather, oceans, and coasts, to share that knowledge and information with others, and to conserve and manage coastal and marine ecosystems and resources. The Voices Oral History Archives offers public access to a wide range of accounts, including historical materials that are products of their particular times, and may contain offensive language or negative stereotypes.
Voices Oral History Archives does not verify the accuracy of materials submitted to us. The opinions expressed in the interviews are those of the interviewee only. The interviews here have been made available to the public only after the interviewer has confirmed that they have obtained consent.