Uncertainty definitely was the buzzword for many people in 2025, including those in the Maine lobster fishery. The 2025 lobster season was marked by colder water, slower landings, and a constant concern about global markets and consumer demand. Maine Lobster Marketing Collaborative photo. New tariffs imposed by the Trump administration dominated the news at the beginning of the year. High tariffs on Chinese goods resulted in Beijing placing sharply higher tariffs on American products, however...

It’s a long drive down Route 131 to reach the fishing town of Port Clyde. Once there you must wind your way off on a side road toward the famous Marshall Point Lighthouse to discover the Herring Gut Coastal Science Center. Once you open the door, however, there’s no question that the trip was worth it. The bright rooms and bubbling aquaponics lab are designed for hands-on learning among children and adults. Herring Gut educator Alaina Zyhowski and Students Sarah Oktay is its executive...

Patrice McCarron, executive director of the Maine Lobstermen’s Association, does not shy away from hard work. Whether it’s long-distance running, Cross Fit training, or overseeing the MLA for nearly 26 years, McCarron commits herself to what she does without reservation. Her work ethic comes in part from her upbringing. “I grew up in Woburn (Massachusetts). Woburn was a blue-collar town. Everyone’s parents worked. I had a paper route as a kid, I bagged groceries when I was 14. My sisters and...