[STONINGTON, ME, June 20, 2022] – Community members and guests visiting Stonington can now enjoy a new interpretive display looking out to Stonington Harbor. The four-part display, the newest exhibit at Maine Center for Coastal Fisheries’ Discovery Wharf, highlights the commercial fish pier, local granite history, the lobster fishery, and building resilience.
The display is also one of 45 stops along the Downeast Fisheries Trail, which connects historic and active fisheries sites that illustrate the region’s maritime heritage from Penobscot Bay to Passamaquoddy and builds on these local resources to strengthen community life and the experience of visitors.
“We are thrilled to share the new interpretive panels at MCCF, a long-time site on the Downeast Fisheries Trail. Stonington is at the heart of Downeast Maine’s rich fishing history. These interpretive panels will help visitors understand how that heritage connects to the larger region, from here to the Canadian Border,” said Natalie Springuel, of Maine Sea Grant and coordinator of the Downeast Fisheries Trail.
Visitors to the area enjoy gazing out at the water and watching boats come and go, taking in the scenery, posing for photos or indulging in a lobster roll. What many don’t realize is that they’re standing in the middle of the busiest, most lucrative seafood port in the state, watching as hundreds of people turn parts of the most important economic engine in Maine. Stonington’s lobster industry depends heavily on a strong and resilient shoreside infrastructure.
“The inspiration for MCCF’s new interpretive display highlights the parts of that engine and sheds light on the fragility of our coastal infrastructure in the face of a changing climate. The panels help people dive a bit deeper into what it takes to move 200 million pounds of seafood from its point of origin into a global market,” shares Pat Shepard, collaborative research specialist at MCCF and part of the team that worked to design and install the signs.
These panels were developed in partnership with Maine Sea Grant and the Downeast Fisheries Trail. Maine Center for Coastal Fisheries will celebrate the unveiling of its new interpretive display with a private event, but the public can enjoy it anytime or while visiting Discovery Wharf on the waterside of its building located at 13 Atlantic Avenue.
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About Maine Center for Coastal Fisheries
MCCF, located on Stonington’s working waterfront, is working to secure a diversified fishing future by connecting fishermen, scientists, regulators, and others through collaborative research, education, and management. Our innovative and collaborative approach allows us to make sure, that we can keep fishing alive for today and for tomorrow’s fishery stewards. To learn more, visit www.coastalfisheries.org.
Contact: Pat Shepard, Collaborative Research Specialist
207.367.2708; pshepard@coastalfisheries.org