Maine town declares a ‘right to fish’

HARPSWELL ANCHOR • July 22, 2024

Harpswell has a new right-to-fish policy intended to protect the town’s working waterfronts and fishermen. The policy has a provision protecting fishermen from nuisance complaints about sights, sounds or smells that might result from fishing activities, like operating boat engines or storing fishing traps on private property. Maine law already prevents such complaints against fishermen who are operating in line with applicable laws or rules. Harpswell’s fishing industry is hundreds of years old. The town has a fleet of 385 fishing vessels that generates about $68 million in gross annual revenue.