The presentation will occur remotely and be screened live in Maine Maritime Museum’s Long Reach Hall.

Scattered among Maine’s coastal communities, in historical societies, museums, libraries, community radio stations and schools, the voices of Maine’s fishing community members have been recorded for posterity. These voices can illustrate the past and help us plan for the future.

With ecological shifts happening today as a result of climate change and other drivers, the local fisheries knowledge contained in Maine’s rich oral history archives is a critical source of information about ecology and coastal communities. But not if the recordings are sitting on shelves collecting dust. This talk will reflect an effort to bring those stories to life. Through audio clips past and present, maps, diagrams, timelines, and photos, the project aims to highlight fishermen and community voices so they can be useful for decision-making, community development and cultural heritage.

Natalie Springuel has been a marine extension associate with University of Maine Sea Grant since 2000. Based at College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor, her extension programs address working waterfronts and coastal access, fisheries heritage, and sustainable tourism planning. She is the coordinator of the Downeast Fisheries Trail, a founder of the National Working Waterfront Network, and host of the award winning public affairs show on WERU Community Radio called Coastal Conversations.