Maine fishing businesses struggling to recover a month after January storms

MAINE PUBLIC • February 23, 2024

Unlike the fishing industries in other states, Maine's is primarily small, family businesses — many that have existed for generations. And now they are faced with trying to restore the historic infrastructure. Ben Martens of the Maine Coast Fishermen's Association estimates that more than half of Maine's working waterfront was damaged in devastating January storms. As for Maine's working waterfront as a whole, Martens says he expects repairs to cost at least tens of millions. Although state and federal legislators have voiced support, the timeline for getting funding to businesses isn't clear, and could take months.