“These places are endangered species, Maine islands. And I think that anytime you lose a community, it doesn’t matter whether it’s on the mainland or an island, the whole world has lost something.”
– Chebeague Island resident, Maine
‘The Island Institute works to sustain Maine’s island and remote coastal communities, and exchanges ideas and experiences to further the sustainability of these communities. Maine’s island communities rely heavily on access to a healthy ocean and coastal ecosystem, and their very existence can be tied to the ability to fish in a particular area. The specific places in the ocean that these communities rely on are determined in part by the size of their boats, the species being sought, fishing pressure from other communities, government regulations and environmental factors. Decisions about how these waters are used could significantly impact the long-term economic health of these communities. While monetary values and biophysical features are important to spatial planning, intangible cultural values are just as important to identify in the planning process. We work to ensure island voices are included in the Northeast regional ocean planning process by collecting information, both spatial and contextual, about island and coastal communities and their use of the ocean as well as advocating for the protection of natural resource dependent communities of Maine.’
Visit the Island Institute’s ocean planning page to learn more.
