Edward French

A possible agreement between the Passamaquoddy Tribe and the state to resolve the dispute over management of the elver fishery was outlined by Marine Resources Commissioner Patrick Keliher at a hearing on a legislative bill concerning the fishery on January 13.

Maine lawmakers started off the second session of the 127th Maine Legislature listening to impassioned testimony from those on the front lines in dealing with the drug crisis in the state, which may have a record number of overdose deaths this past year.

Although the abundance of scallops in Cobscook Bay is down some this year, there are fewer boats dragging during the opening days of the season, so a closure of the bay because of depletion of the resource may be delayed until the end of January.

At the break of day on November 10, Grand Manan lobster fisherman Laurence Cook joined fishermen throughout the Fundy Isles to leave port and set his 375 traps. After returning to take on bait, he went back to haul at 6 p.m.

The loss of berthing for boats at the Eastport breakwater and an expected influx of scallop draggers have prompted communities around Cobscook Bay to freeze the number of boat moorings, as the mooring fields were becoming overcrowded.