Opinion: For our coastal counties, Maine’s working waterfront is crucial to our economic prosperity

KENNEBEC JOURNAL • October 13, 2023

Washington County needs more than just lobster to have a thriving economy. Industries like rockweed harvesting can play a big role. Among its many commercial uses, rockweed can be a key ingredient in eco-friendly garden fertilizers and used to make crops more resistant to climate change and less reliant on petroleum-based fertilizers. It is also a nutritional additive in food for pets and livestock, which improves animal gut health. Rockweed can be sustainably harvested and provide a solid income. Opposition from some environmental groups is ironic given the proven environmental benefits of rockweed when used commercially. It’s also not based on the science. ~ Sen. Marianne Moore (R), Calais