The Maine coast suffered from winter storms on Tuesday night and Saturday this past week, leaving the community in shambles. Fishing families are facing many tremendous losses after these storms.
From the destruction of wharves and gear getting washed away from the aggressively high tides to the emotional devastation of financial losses. The working waterfront needs support and assistance.
After the first storm, the Department of Marine Resources (DMR) began working with the Maine Emergency Agency to assess damages to the working waterfront. As well as local communities helping their neighbors with cleanup and collecting gear.
However, the DMR pushed reminders days before the second storm of the exceptionally high tides so that those who are working waterfront property owners can prepare for the storm surge that will affect them again.
The Tuesday night storm had a record high tide of 13.98’, the second-highest recorded water level in Maine history. Though Saturday’s storm broke the previous high tide of 14.17’ recorded at the Maine State Pier gauge in Portland, now at 14.57’.
Many groups, such as the Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association (MCFA), shared damages over the past days since the storms. Writing on social media Wednesday, “Coastal communities, already grappling with the aftermath of storms, urgently require resources to rebuild damaged infrastructure, support local businesses, and help fishermen get back on their feet. Increased funding is not just an investment in the physical structures but a lifeline for these communities, ensuring their resilience and sustainability in the face of unpredictable weather events.”