Article in the Portland Press Herald ... Read More
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BDN Letter – Beach access case and rockweed harvesting (7/16/24)
"I think focusing attention on beach access is a classic distraction away from the plaintiffs’ desire to have unfettered commercial access to Maine’s underwater rockweed forest." Letter by David Porter in the Bangor Daily News July 16, ... Read More
Hakai Magazine features rockweed forest (7/5/24)
"Here is a photo of the rockweed forest on the coast of Maine where I live." by David Porter (link to Hakai Magazine with this featured post) ... Read More
Quoddy Tides, “Paper disputes rockweed recovery claim” (4/26/24)
"The new paper asserts that the previous 2023 study was critically flawed, that the data in the study do not show that rockweed recovers within one year's time, and that the previous paper should not be used to determine Maine's marine ... Read More
Letter in the Ellsworth American, “Rockweed risk vs. reward” (3/7/24)
Mark Harris writes that industrial-scale rockweed harvesting poses a risk for fish and wildlife and is not properly regulated. Dear Editor: “In the weeds: Seaweed proves a valuable cash crop” was the lead article in the insert on Hancock County’s ... Read More
Letter in the Ellsworth American, “Rockweed is not kelp” (3/7/24)
David Porter discusses kelp farming vs. harvesting of wild rockweed, and why it is important to protect rockweed from over-harvesting. Dear Editor: I was pleased to see promotion of seaweed aquaculture in the article “In the weeds” [Ellsworth ... Read More
Quoddy Tides, “Protecting rockweed & working waterfront” (2/23/24)
Guest column by Robin Hadlock Seeley, PhD, executive director of the Maine Rockweed Coalition: Supporting the working waterfront means supporting fishery habitat. Rockweed, our local seaweed along low tide shorelines, is a vital commercial fishery ... Read More
The Working Waterfront, “Rockweed study not accurately explained” (2/1/24)
This Op-Ed by David Porter provides more context for the University of Maine study and the university's press release: Rockweed is a slow-growing, wild seaweed on the rocky coast of Maine. It is highly valued as a commercial fertilizer and debates ... Read More
Legislators voted against LD 2003 (1/11/24)
Legislators voted against LD 2003, a bill that would have opened Maine's intertidal zone to rockweed harvesting without permission of the upland property owner. On January 11, 2024, the Marine Resources Committee unanimously voted Ought Not to ... Read More
Maine Monitor, “Illegal rockweed harvesting cases dismissed in court” (1/13/24)
"James Young had faced two charges of harvesting rockweed in closed conservation areas and two charges of theft for harvesting rockweed without the permission of the upland landowner." "Young’s license was suspended for a year by the commissioner ... Read More