Awarded Projects

Recipient Map

Completed Projects

Holbrook Wharf, Harpswell
The Holbrook Community Foundation, a newly incorporated 501(c) 3 community non-profit organization), organized to “Keep Holbrook’s Working” as an integral part of the working waterfront in Cundy’s Harbor in the town of Harpswell (Cumberland County). The Holbrook waterfront is a 0.77-acre, mixed use property that includes a commercial fishing wharf, a snack bar, a historic house with two apartments, a general store and a second dock with floats for recreational boating access and two moorings. In recent years the property has suffered from neglect and the Holbrook Community Foundation is charged with breathing new life into the facility. The Foundation successfully leveraged significant investment for the property and has created great potential to provide berthing, landing and mooring needs for up to 10 commercial fishermen who catch lobsters, crabs, shellfish and tuna. The Holbrook Community Foundation was granted an allocation of $300,000.00 from the Land for Maine’s Future Board to purchase a covenant on their property. Click here to see the Holbrook Community Foundation website.

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Port Clyde Fishermen’s Cooperative, St. George
The Port Clyde Fishermen’s Co-op applied for funds to sell a covenant to the state on a 0.75 acre property located on Port Clyde Harbor in the town of St. George (Knox County). The covenant is being used to secure the property’s extensive capacity to support commercial fisheries access. The property currently supports the lobstering activities of the 28 Co-op members. They have wharfage, landing access and access to fuel, bait and parking. A portion of the property is leased to a family-owned and operated bait processing facility that provides bait to the Co-op and to fishermen throughout the area. Additionally the Co-op intends to meet the access needs of the local ground fishermen by utilizing the funds from the sale of the covenant to help finance a new wharf that will upgrade and increase the capacity of the facility. This upgrade will stimulate growth in Co-op membership and will provide deepwater berthing and a landing point for the largest active ground fishing fleet east of Portland. The Co-op was granted an allocation of $340,000.00 from the Land for Maine’s Future Board to purchase a covenant on their property. Click here to view a video by WCSH6.

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Roberts Wharf, Boothbay
With the assistance of the Working Waterfront Access Protection Program, the Boothbay Region Land Trust is helping to secure permanent commercial fishing access to the Robert’s Wharf property located on Barter’s Island in the town of Boothbay (Lincoln County) on the Sheepscot River. This 1.9 acre property includes two pier structures that are used by four local lobstermen for equipment storage and convenient deepwater access to their moored boats. The Boothbay Region Land Trust has recently leveraged additional funds and upgraded the property and infrastructure to increase their capacity to accommodate up to 10 fishermen with moorings, wharfage, landing and gear storage space to continue to provide convenient access to their boats and equipment. The Working Waterfront Covenant ensures that this property (which is located in a residential area) remains an integral commercial fishing access point for the local fishermen. The Land Trust was granted an allocation of $34,600.00 from the Land for Maine’s Future Board to purchase a covenant on their property. Click here to see the Boothbay Region Land Trust website.

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Davis Wharf, Tremont
Third generation fishermen Wayne and Robert Davis applied for funds to sell a covenant to the state on their family owned 0.57 acre property (Davis Wharf) located in Goose Cove in the town of Tremont on Mount Desert Island (Hancock County). The covenant will secure the property’s capacity to support the lobster, crab, shrimp and scalloping activities of the 4 current boats that operate off the property with potential to add 2 more vessels in the future. Davis Wharf is believed to be the last full service non-dealer owned fishing wharf on Mount Desert Island and it currently supports 8 commercial fishermen with potential to benefit a total of 12 in the future. Awarded monies will refinance the business and improve the wharf infrastructure adding additional tie up space, more efficient loading and unloading capacity with a new electric hoist, and installing a large float and ramp which allows better access between tides. With the covenant in place the family will assure that the next generation of fishing tradition continues on the property. The Davis Wharf was granted an allocation of $265,000.00 from the Land for Maine’s Future Board to purchase a covenant on their property. Click here to view an 7/08 video by WLBZ2. Click here to view an 8/09 video by WLBZ2.

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Pemaquid Fishermen’s Cooperative, Bristol
The Pemaquid Fishermen’s Co-op (the oldest known continually operating fisheries cooperative in the country going on 60 years) wanted to preserve their fishing heritage by sale of a covenant on their 4.5 acre property located adjacent to Pemaquid Harbor in the town of Bristol (Lincoln County). The covenant will secure the property’s extensive capacity to support the lobstering, shrimp and scalloping activities of the 21 current Co-op members and allow room to handle more than 30 boats. Approximately 50 fishing and harvesting families including vessel captains, and their sternmen and women are supported by this working waterfront access. The Co-op plans to invest their award in their waterfront infrastructure to include general maintenance and a state of the art chilled seawater system housed in a new shoreside building as well as better lobster storage equipment for their boats. These improvements will allow them to store over 10,000 lbs. of lobsters for months with very low mortality and no feeding costs Some of their award will be devoted to better branding and marketing of their high quality lobsters leading to higher profits.. The Co-op was granted an allocation of $265,400.00 from the Land for Maine’s Future Board to purchase a covenant on their property.

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Municipal Pier, Isle au Haut
The island town of Isle au Haut (Knox County) sought funds to secure permanent commercial fishing access over the town’s multi-use municipal pier. Proceeds from the sale of the Working Waterfront Covenant will be used to leverage additional funds to replace the existing town pier with a facility that will support commercial fishing activities as well as continue to serve as the island’s main point of water access for all other public and private uses. The project directly benefits the island’s 15 commercial fishermen who land lobsters, halibut, scallops, and clams by securing their access on the island’s only public pier and by also ensuring the viability of the year-round community. The town of Isle au Haut was granted an allocation of $150,000.00 from the Land for Maine’s Future Board to purchase a covenant on their property.

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Bremen Lobster Cooperative, Bremen
In Muscongus Bay located along midcoast Maine (Lincoln County), the Bremen Lobster Co-op serves 24 lobster boats and provides income for 34 families in the area. With two piers, multiple buildings, cold storage for bait, ample parking, and fuel storage onsite, the facility is an important landing and lobster buying station for the area. At the same time the Co-op property including two large pounds where American oysters are farmed, needed some renovations for which money was scarce. A derelict hull from the 3-masted sailing schooner Cora Cressey, left to rot in the harbor during the early years of this century, threatened to block their access with debris and silt. Members of the Co-op aided by a concerned neighbor made the commitment to preserve their 12.5 acre property for future generations of lobstermen in their community by successfully applying to sell a restrictive covenant on their property. With their award they plan to remove the hull of the Cora Cressey and enhance the storage capacity for lobsters with the installation of a recirculating cold water tank system. The Co-op was granted an allocation of $300,000.00 from the Land for Maine’s Future Board to purchase a covenant on their property.

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Vinalhaven Fishermen’s Cooperative, Vinalhaven
On an island where nearly 50% of the year round population earns a living from the fisheries, the Vinalhaven Lobstermen’s Co-op (Knox County) is one of three important fisheries access properties in Carver’s Harbor. It serves about 60 boats, has 84 members, and supports 100 island families with income from the sale of lobsters and crabs. The Co-op also sells the island’s only supply of gasoline for residents’ vehicles. The membership recognized that with the increasing limitations to the herring fishery because of fewer permitted days at sea, their supply of bait was available less regularly and the Co-op lacked sufficient chilled and frozen storage capacity to allow for longer use of each bait delivery. Successful application to the program will not only restrict the use of the one acre property to commercial fisheries in perpetuity, but also finance the construction of a large freezer and cold storage building. The Co-op was granted an allocation of $178,750.00 from the Land for Maine’s Future Board to purchase a covenant on their property.

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Spruce Head Fishermen’s Cooperative, South Thomaston
The Spruce Head Fishermen’s Co-op located in the town of South Thomaston (Knox County) applied for funds to help purchase the land (which is currently leased by the Co-op) to secure permanent commercial fishing access that encompasses their existing commercial fishing facilities. This small 0.25 acre property supports over 75 boats and the Co-op property is one of the most significant lobster landing sites on the coast of Maine. Additionally this facility provides limited services to non-members. Having managed the property for their own use for the last 30 plus years, the facility is ideally developed to support the rich commercial fishing of the region and a significant number of fishermen. Successful completion of this project will secure working access for not only the fishermen but over 100 families who are supported by the revenue generated across this property from the lobsters, crabs, scallops and shrimp landed at the facility. The Co-op was granted an allocation of $166,250.00 from the Land for Maine’s Future Board to put towards the purchase of the property and a working waterfront covenant.

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Ship to Shore Lobster, Owls Head
Rodney and Anna Mason purchased the Ship to Shore Lobster Wharf which provides access to Owls Head Harbor (Knox County). The wharf was on the open market and had suffered (mainly cosmetically) from some recent years of neglect. The 0.25 acre lot and 14,200 square foot wharf & accessory buildings currently serve 30 fishing boats with room to serve more. There are currently a total of 100 families supported from the commercial fishing activities on the wharf. The wharf provides all tide access, bait, gas & diesel fuel, parking and two hydraulic winches with booms. Landings at the wharf include lobster and in the future they hope to handle shrimp, scallops, crab, clams and worms. The Masons intend to use the proceeds from the sale of covenant to help pay down some of the principal on the property purchase and help lower their annual debt service. Ship to Shore Lobster was granted an allocation of $226,250.00 from the Land for Maine’s Future Board to put towards the purchase of the property in exchange for the sale of a working waterfront covenant.

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Friendship Lobster Cooperative, Friendship
Although the Co-op was organized fairly recently in 1996, the 0.6 acre property (Knox County) where it resides has been an important wharf and access point for the community since the 1800’s when coastal steamers and fishing boats unloaded there. With a large 22,320 square foot wharf, buildings which house offices, workshops, a garage, cold storage, and a rental apartment, gasoline and diesel storage capacity, and parking for all members, the property is one of the most important fisheries access points in Friendship Harbor. Seventy fishermen in 40 boats land lobsters and crabs. Awarded monies will pay off their bank debt, purchase an adjacent lot for greater gear storage capacity, and finance maintenance on critical areas of the wharf. The Co-op was granted an allocation of $232,500.00 from the Land for Maine’s Future Board to purchase a covenant on their property.

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Fishermen’s Heritage Lobster Co-op, Friendship
The second major wharf property in Friendship Harbor (Knox County) to be allocated for WWAPP funds is the Fishermen’s Heritage Lobster Co-op. This wharf on a ¾ acre lot with 100 feet of shorefront has been a lobster fishing dock since citizens of the Town of Friendship moved off Friendship Long Island to live on the mainland in the early 1900’s. The Co-op services 40 lobster boats in a fishing harbor that is arguably among the top five in the state. Over 60 families are supported in this community by the earnings from lobsters landed at the Co-op. WWAPP award money will be used to replace the 100+ year old bait shed with a new building containing refrigeration and freezer capacity and complete forklift accessibility. The wharf under the old building will be repaired with new pilings and stringers. The sale of the restrictive covenant to the state is priced at $182,000.00.

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Wharf on Johnson's Bay, Lubec
On the northwestern side of the Lubec peninsula (Washington County) facing Johnson's Bay, a former sardine cannery situated beside a sizeable deepwater pier on a 1.5 acre lot with 500 feet of shorefront offers fishermen a full service buying station for lobsters, crabs, clams, urchins, periwinkles, and scallops. The owner, Victor Trafford, applied to the WWAPP to enable him to continue his investment in renovations of the building for lobster storage and shellfish processing. Thirty eight lobster and scallop boats and nearly 120 skiff fishermen sell their products to the Wharf. Its location outside of the Lubec Narrows where tidal currents are extremely high, allows for a safe approach and berthing for the unloading of vessels. With the exception of the municipal wharf, there is no other important fisheries access property in the town. Strong support from Lubec's businesses and the municipality bolstered the application. The Wharf will sell a permanently restrictive covenant to the state for $341,500.00.

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John Hancock Wharf, York
The Old York Historical Society sought funding to sell a covenant to the state on the historic 0.54 acre John Hancock Wharf property located on the York River in the town of York (York County). Hancock Wharf was used in the 1700's as a commercial wharf for sailing vessels bringing a variety of goods to the region and before the end of World War I the wharf was employed for lobstering. In more recent years the wharf has primarily served recreational boaters in the summer and offered some commercial boat access in the winter. Old York Historical Society saw the opportunity to rekindle the wharf's historic use by way of a sale of covenant to secure the property's permanent capacity to support commercial fisheries access to the local fishermen. Funds will be used to stabilize the shoreline, repair the earthen wharf with cribwork, add another ramp and float, enlarge the current decked area, build a new bait storage shed, and install an electric hoist. The wharf will provide 3 commercial lobster boats loading and unloading capacity, gear and bait storage, parking and access to fuel. Old York Historical Society was granted an allocation of $255,000.00 from the Land for Maine's Future Board to purchase a covenant on their property. Click here to learn more about Hancock wharf on the Old York Historical Society website.

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Potts Harbor Lobster at Bibbers Wharf, Harpswell
As a working waterfront property for nearly forty years, this land with wharf and buildings located on Ash Point in South Harpswell (Cumberland County) has been owned by Bob and Marilyn Bibber who have bought and sold lobsters from Harpswell fishermen. Now that they are nearing retirement, the Bibbers are working with Jim Merryman, owner of Potts Harbor Lobster, also of Harpswell, who wants to expand his own business while buying the property, effectively acquiring a ½ acre lot with 160 feet of shore frontage, a sheltered wharf, and the boats that he can attract to unload their catch there. Receiving a WWAPP allocation will help pay a portion of the purchase price of the property and result in placement of the restrictive covenant. Some boats that formerly sold their catch to the Bibbers will continue to land at the site and sell to Jim Merryman. When including the catch from Jim's own boat, his lobster wholesale and retail business will double in size. Meanwhile the Bibbers will have the satisfaction of knowing that their property will continue as working waterfront forever. Potts Harbor Lobster was granted an allocation of $145,750.00 from the Land for Maine's Future Board for the sale of the working waterfront covenant to help purchase the property.

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Pine Point Municipal Pier, Scarborough
At the outlet of the Scarborough River and protected by Prouts Neck to the east and Pine Point to the south and west, Scarborough Harbor (Cumberland County) is one of the best natural Maine anchorages south of Portland. Since 1971 the municipal pier on Pine Point has served the town for pedestrian traffic only. But with current commercial boat use numbering 25 lobster boats and over 40 clam skiffs which provide income for 66 fishermen and 70 families, the facility is outmoded. With only 3 hours of deep water tidal access per day off the pier and no mechanical or vehicular loading available on the pier, fishermen are limited in their gear deployment and therefore their earned income from this site. Scarborough Marine Resources Officer Dave Corbeau has worked for six years to find money and support to build a new and larger pier. With the help of the WWAPP, three grants from the Maine DOT Small Harbor Improvement Program, and matching cash from the town, construction of the project will begin in the fall of 2009. The new pier will significantly increase the productivity as it will be three times larger and improve access by providing direct mechanized loading and offloading of vehicles. The Town of Scarborough was granted an allocation of $278,750.00 from the Land for Maine's Future Board to purchase a covenant on their 2 acre property. Click here to view the Town of Scarborough's website.

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North End Lobster Co-op, Westport
When a former boatyard on Westport Island (Lincoln County) went on the market in 2002, resident lobstermen were afraid that it might be sold for a private residency and forever be lost for access to the Sheepscot River lobster fishery. Twenty one members formed a Co-op and through the support of a local bank, Coastal Enterprises Inc., and Farm Credit of Maine, they purchased the 3.75 acre parcel that has a deepwater wharf on 450 feet of frontage. With a boat travel lift transferred from the boatyard business, members unload catch, haul their boats, and launch their floats seasonally in a manner unlike any other fishing wharf in Maine. Over 40 families in the town and surrounding areas are supported by the fishing access from this property. For the sale of the covenant to the state worth $135,250.00, the Co-op will make physical improvements to the shorefront and pay down debt on their mortgage.

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Approved Projects

Quoddy Bay Lobster, Eastport
A former site of one of the largest herring canneries in Maine in the 1920's, this property facing Passamaquoddy Bay is now owned and worked by the Griffin family. The 0.59 acres of land and 230 feet of shore frontage allow access for up to 10 boats that land lobsters which the Griffins buy for the retail and wholesale trade. The modest building on-site contains bait storage, a lobster tank for storage of 10,000 pounds, offices, and a take-out food kitchen where locals and tourists can enjoy eating the freshly caught lobster and crabmeat. The Griffins will sell the restrictive covenant to the state for an award allocation of $101,250 and use it to extend and enlarge the pier and make it more accessible at all tidal ranges by adding a ramp and float. Bait storage will be moved to the end of the pier where fishermen will have the convenience of more immediate access. The lobster tank holding capacity will be doubled allowing the flexibility of lobster storage for multiple days in response to market conditions. As a result of this project, the Griffins predict that more boats and fishermen will choose to sell their lobsters across the pier.

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Lobster Web, Prospect Harbor
With over 100,000 square feet of building space on about 5 acres, 2260 square feet of deepwater pier on about 850 feet of shoreline, plus ample bait storage and parking space, the property offers one of the few places in eastern Maine where large deep-draft boats can unload during all tidal cycles. This former Stinson and Bumblebee cannery is the single most important employer in the Gouldsboro area. Now it lands lobster for processing and herring for bait with current employment of over 60 people in the plant. The parent company, Live Lobster LLC, plans to increase the processed volume from a million pounds a year to ten million pounds annually, keeping jobs in eastern Maine and lessening the industry's reliance on Canadian processors. With a WWAPP allocation of $264,000 for the purchase of the covenant, the company plans to expand and improve the facility to prepare for the enhanced production goals.

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South Bristol Fisherman's Co-op, South Bristol
Founded in 1972 by 12 local fishermen, the Co-op now has 39 members and serves a total of 40 boats and 70 fishermen by providing access and buying lobsters and shrimp. Sitting on 230 feet deepwater frontage on the thoroughfare known as "The Gut" that links the Damariscotta River estuary with John's Bay, the 1.25 acre property contains over 12,400 square feet of wharves that provide 300 feet of berthing space for boats. Additionally, the multiple buildings, gas and diesel fuel storage, a parking area for 40 vehicles, and a large bait freezer provide a very useful and convenient working space for fishermen. In fact, the Co-op is the single most important commercial fishing access point in Lincoln County landing about 830,000 pounds of lobster and about 930,000 pounds of shrimp annually. By accepting an award of $284,000 from the WWAPP for sale of the restrictive covenant, the Co-op will continue to provide fishing access to future generations of local fishermen. Their plans call for the use of the money to pay off a loan for the 2011 construction of a new bait freezer building, to repair sections of the wharves, and replace some of the older, decaying floats.

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J.O. Brown & Son Inc., North Haven
Located on the island of North Haven, 12 miles off the coast of Rockland, J.O. Brown & Son Inc. has been a family owned boatyard since 1888. Multiple generations have been building, repairing and storing boats on the properties .81 acre lot that includes 280 feet of shore frontage. Their iconic 95 X 40 foot red barn is a recognizable landmark from the Fox Island Thoroughfare and is a staple to the North Haven and Vinalhaven communities. Located in the downtown area, it is the most heavily trafficked wharf on North Haven and is one of the only businesses that provide services to the commercial fishing a recreational boating community. J.O. Brown & Son Inc. is the only source of fuel (gas/diesel and heating oil) on the island. An award in the amount of $240,000 will help with the following planned improvements: removing the old wharf that runs along the eastern side of the barn and replace it with a 10 foot wider and 30 foot longer structure, replace their ramp, installing a hoist and dedicating this side of the pier to commercial fishing use. Improvements will help with the properties efficiency, relieve overcrowding and allow more time to work around tides.

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Great Wass Bait & Lobster Co., Beals Island
Located on the northern shore of Beals Island is the Great Wass Bait & Lobster Co. which encompasses 237.5 feet of shoreline and .8 acres of land. The facility offers a deepwater access pier, ramp, 3 floats, a buying station, a tidal lobster pound, fuel, bait and some small supplies (gloves, bands, salt). It is the most heavily used commercial fishing property on Beals Island and serves nearly 100 boats annually. The business stays open late to accommodate fishermen coming in off the water at the end of the day. The owner's $168,750 award from the WWAPP program will help facilitate the following improvements: extending the wharf out another 105 feet to provide access for more boats at all tides, building a 40X60 refrigerated bait cooler and making repairs to the tidal lobster pound.

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