A panel meant to address storm damage to working waterfronts met Tuesday, nearly a month after it was delayed by a spring nor’easter that shut down power to thousands in the Midcoast and made travel treacherous.
In the wake of this year’s extensive damage to several waterfront businesses in the Midcoast, the panel focused much of its conversation on insurance claims and how to prevent loss of the region’s rich fishing and aquaculture heritage.
Hosted in partnership with Maine Coast Fisherman’s Association and Kennebec Estuary Land Trust, the panel focused on recovery efforts after severe January weather devastated infrastructure on Maine’s shorelines. The panel, held at Maine Maritime Museum, was moderated by MCFA Director of Community Programs Monique Coombs and featured Sadia Crosby from Oysthers Sea Farm, Nate Hassett of Customer Composite Technologies and Katie Conroy, an educator at Maine Maritime Museum.
As the owner of the seasonal Oysthers Bar & Bubbly in Bath, Crosby said that navigating flood insurance and disaster assistance programs to replace her lost wharf has been a long struggle.
“I’m just getting confirmation from agencies like FEMA that I’m not covered,” Crosby said. “It’s frustrating, it’s emotional and close to home.”
Coombs, who lives in Harpswell and witnessed some of the January destruction firsthand, estimated the state likely lost 70% of docks and wharfs used by local fishermen and aquaculturists. The inventory of waterfront businesses is hard to track, she said.
One effort to address this lack of data is MCFA’s Working Waterfront Inventory, which Coombs highlighted as an important resource for recovery efforts.
The project, which collects data for towns on areas like harbors and boat access points, relies on efforts within local communities to document working waterfront infrastructure. Data from local inventory are used to help communities better understand and protect their waterfronts, according to MCFA’s website.
The MCFA’s inventory template and information can be found at mainecoastfishermen.org/working-waterfront-inventory.
Resources for those impacted by January’s storm destruction can be found at mainecoastfishermen.org/working–waterfront.
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