Maine’s Department of Marine Resources
Working Waterfront Access Pilot Program
C/O Coastal Enterprises, Inc,
2 Portland Fish Pier, Suite 206Portland, Maine 04101, 207-772-5356
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.
