Here you see the last of yesterday’s sunlight lingering softly on one of Brooklin’s lobster boats in Naskeag Harbor. She soon was in shadow.
For many of us, these fishing vessels are a fascinating combination of grace and utility. They characteristically have swooping, work-stained hulls that sheer from high bows to low sterns, rigidly sturdy wheelhouses, and gear hanging where you can get it.
Yet, this year, that working grace is hard to appreciate. Our lobstermen (male and female) are in trouble. Among other things, they have experienced relatively low lobster prices, decreasing catches, and are under the threat of expensive additional regulation, while costs of operation have remained high or even increased.
As one veteran captain said yesterday, “This season is a bust. We're just trying to make a little money for the winter. Can't make up for the [losses in the] early part of the summer.” (Images taken in Brooklin, Maine, on October 7, 2022.)