The town of Harpswell has hired a new harbormaster. Paul Plummer, who served as Brunswick’s deputy harbormaster and Marine Patrol officer for the past six years while on their police force, began his new duties Monday.

Plummer replaces former harbormaster Jim Hays, who retired last month.

“Our interview team was very impressed with his qualifications,” said Harpswell Town Administrator Kristi Eiane. “We felt he had the most appropriate skill set for the job.”

Plummer was chosen over eight other candidates by Harpswell town selectmen. Eiane said that the town was “particularly pleased” to find that Plummer not only held many advanced harbormaster certificates, but was also certified as a municipal shellfish warden.

“We want to get more involved in shellfish conservation, so I think that was a nice plus for him,” said Eiane.

Plummer said that his time serving under Brunswick harbormaster Dan Devereaux has helped prepare him for the job in Harpswell.

“My position has always been more of the enforcement level of the job, but the past couple of years Dan has given me other duties such as plotting mooring placements and finding environmental hazards,” said Plummer. “There is going to be a learning curve because Harpswell is huge, but I know the Western Bay pretty well. It will take me a year or so to learn the other areas, and to get to know the locals.”

While on the job, Hays created a GPS system of all the moorings in Harpswell that Plummer said will help him as he begins his work across the 200 miles of Harpswell coastline.

Eiane said that the town was going to bring Hays back in to train Plummer, and that selectman Kevin Johnson had volunteered to ride along with Plummer as he gets to know the area.

Plummer said he knows that it will take awhile for the locals — especially the fishermen — to trust him, but that he wants to come into the job with open arms.

“I really value my relationships with fishermen,” said Plummer. “It’s a hard thing to get. It took three or four years before Brunswick fishermen trusted me enough to call me on my cell.”

Plummer also said that aquaculture will be a focus for him in the coming years. He and Devereaux recently started an oyster farm off Mere Point boat launch in Brunswick, and Plummer said he hopes to continue that type of involvement in the up-and-coming industry.

“Aquaculture is exciting,” said Plummer. “The rest of the country is ahead of us in that field, so hopefully we can catch up soon. Harpswell is a prime community for aquaculture, and I’m excited to be a part of that community.”

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