News from Maine’s Island and Coastal Communities volume 37, no. 10 n dec 2023 / jan 2024 n free circulation: 50,000
publishedby byisland islandinstitute institute nn workingwaterfront workingwaterfront.com .com published
Blue crabs on the rise in Maine waters
STANDING STRONG—
Growing population raises questions about impacts good and bad BY CLARKE CANFIELD
B
lue crabs are expanding their range into the warming waters of the Gulf of Maine, raising questions about their long-term impact on other marine species and whether they could become a commercial fishery in the years or decades ahead. Blue crabs are commonly found in warmer waters south of Cape Cod and are harvested commercially from New Jersey to the Gulf of Mexico. But they have been showing up in salt marshes, in lobster traps, on clam flats, and elsewhere in Maine the past few years from Kittery to as far east as Mount Desert Island— and their numbers are growing. Through late October of this year, people have reported seeing more than 120 blue crabs through an online reporting survey set up by Manomet, a Massachusetts-based conservation and science nonprofit. Manomet has also trapped close to 50 blue crabs this year in Casco Bay’s New Meadows River. At the same time, the Wells National Estuarine Research
The Crowley family of Corea, with the fifth, sixth, and seventh generations of lobster harvesters represented, pose for a series of portraits on fishing families by photographer Cheryl Clegg. “This is our life,” said Bruce Crowley, representing the fifth generation. “This is how we support ourselves and many others—sternmen and family, co-op workers, trap makers, boat builders, car salesmen, bait dealers… the list goes on.” For more of Clegg’s portraits, see pages 12-13.
Reserve has caught more than 220 of the crabs in its traps in salt marshes this year, a sharp increase from the previous few years. Those numbers are small, but they represent only a tiny fraction of the total number of blue crabs now living in the Gulf of Maine as water temperatures continue their upward climb. The warming waters are allowing the crabs to take hold in the Gulf of Maine,
which stretches from Cape Cod to Nova Scotia, said Jessie Batchelder, a fisheries project manager with Manomet who works out of the organization’s Maine office in Brunswick. “Warming waters are allowing them to survive further north,” she said. “And we’re starting to see females carrying eggs, we’re seeing blue crabs mating, continued on page 4
New owners for Penobscot Island Air New Hampshire couple relocated to Matinicus BY TOM GROENING
A
business providing a vital link to Maine’s offshore islands has new owners. Sean and Andi Creeley, who are based in Portsmouth,
N.H., purchased Penobscot Island Air in November from Terry Waters. In a telephone interview, Sean Creeley said he expects little to change in the operation of the business, which was founded by Kevin
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Waters in 2004. Waters died suddenly music streaming service, in 2021. He three years ago, and his widow, Terry, remains a production director for has been running the business along Spotify, he said. with Ken Carle. Creeley has no prior experience in Creeley said his wife had vacationed aviation, he said, but explained the on Matinicus, one of the purchase came for islands served by PIA, as “somewhat selfish a child, and continued to reasons,” as he and visit as the couple started his wife want to see their own family. They the business continue “ The team at PIA have two young children. to thrive. When the COVID “It’s an unbelievis very good at pandemic hit, the family able resource, and we flying planes.” purchased a house on want to see it be able the island, with Creeley to continue,” he said. acknowledging that they “The team at PIA is were very much part of the very good at flying COVID migrant trend. planes,” he said. Creeley did not disclose the terms “They do this flawlessly.” of the purchase, but credited Camden Islanders and others rely on the air National Bank with providing assistance. service to deliver mail and other freight, Creeley launched two technology take islanders to medical appointments firms, one in 2010, which he sold on the mainland, and to provide transin 2016, and then another in 2018, port when ferries aren’t running. which sold to Spotify, an online continued on page 5