John Phinney

Location of Interview
Collection Name

Assessing Vulnerability and Resilience in Maine Fishing Communities

Description

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.

Interviewer
Date of Interview
08-10-2011
DOI
10.25923/JYY9-2A91
Transcript
Biographical Sketch

John Phinney, born in 1967 in Utah, has spent most of his life in Lubec, Maine. His family has a long history in the seafood industry, with his father working as a fish buyer, coordinating with boats and processing plants. In the mid-70s, his family started a business on Campobello Island, New Brunswick, which they sold in the mid-80s to move to Lubec. After serving in the military for six years, Phinney took over the family business in 1998, renaming it Phinney Fisheries. In 2001, he moved the business to Trescott, where he expanded its operations to include a nightclub and a wholesale seafood operation focusing on scallops, sea urchins, halibut, and shellfish. Recognizing the decline in the seafood industry, Phinney partnered with the Cobscook Community Learning Center to add value to their products, resulting in the creation of the Cobscook Bay Company, which produces seafood pies.

Scope and Content Note:
This interview with John Phinney, conducted by Cameron Thompson on August 10, 2011, provides a detailed account of Phinney's life and his experiences in the seafood industry in Lubec, Maine. Phinney discusses the history of his family's business, Phinney Fisheries, its evolution over the years, and its expansion into value-added products through the Cobscook Bay Company. He also shares his observations on the decline of the seafood industry, particularly the sardine industry, and the impact on local communities. Phinney expresses his concerns about the lack of job opportunities in Lubec, leading to the migration of young people from the area, and his desire to create opportunities that would encourage them to stay. The interview also touches on the increase in recreational boating and tourism in Lubec, and Phinney's views on the integration of newcomers into the community. The interview was part of the University of Maine project, “Assessing Vulnerability and Resilience in Maine Fishing Communities,” funded by Maine Sea Grant.


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