Tourists are discovering a hidden gem of Acadia National Park

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • August 12, 2025

A spike in visits to a remote offshore section of Acadia National Park hasn’t sparked the same concerns about crowding and overtourism that have divided neighbors of the much more famous Mount Desert Island section of the park. The park owns about half of Isle au Haut, which is accessible by a 45-minute boat ride from Stonington. And that section of Acadia hasn’t been spared from the overall growing popularity of park, which has seen a roughly 20 percent increase in total annual visits since the COVID pandemic, from about 3.3 million visits each year to now nearly 4 million.

Gap widens on already low year for international visits to Maine

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • August 12, 2025

Maine had 107,543 fewer international visitors in July than in the same month of 2024, increasing the gap from June and continuing a slump that started in February, according to new data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Travelers crossing the border into Maine last month numbered 276,951 compared to 384,494 in July 2024, a roughly 28 percent drop.

You can sea kayak to this Casco Bay island for swimming, hiking and a picnic

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • August 12, 2025

Little Whaleboat Island in northern Casco Bay is a special place. Actually a trio of small islands and ledges named Little Whaleboat (West), Nate and Tuck, they’re connected at low tide. I’ve been visiting them since I began sea kayaking a couple of decades ago. The reason is simple — it’s a beautiful location easily reached by launching from Mere Point in Brunswick or Lookout Point and Mitchell Field in Harpswell. Little Whaleboat was privately owned and access was due to the generosity of the landowner. When the island was placed up for sale, Maine Coast Heritage Trust led an effort to raise $1.3 million to buy and conserve the island for the public for perpetuity.

Appeals court upholds Bar Harbor’s limit on cruise ship passengers

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • August 12, 2025

The 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the U.S. District Court’s decision that Bar Harbor can limit the number of cruise ship passengers allowed to disembark each day but sent the case back to the lower court for review. While the Court of Appeals backed most of the District Court's ruling last year, it directed the lower court to determine whether Bar Harbor's ordinance goes further than necessary.

Yarmouth considers pausing development as sewage pump reaches capacity

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • August 12, 2025

The Yarmouth Town Council is considering a moratorium on development in parts of town served by Royal River Pump Station sewershed, as the sewage pumping station is at capacity and in need of an upgrade. The proposed moratorium would temporarily suspend development in the over 1,225 designated Yarmouth parcels for 180 days, with the possibility of extension. Any construction that would lead to “additional sewer discharge,” including detached dwelling units, renovations that add to the number of bedrooms and commercial development on 19% of all Yarmouth land would be paused.

Road closed in Lincoln after wildfire breaks out

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • August 13, 2025

The town of Lincoln closed a stretch of West Broadway on Wednesday afternoon, after a wildfire broke out. As of 5:20 p.m. some areas had been extinguished, but the fire continued to burn in others and the road remained closed. Dry conditions prompted the fire department last week to stop issuing open burning permits and rescind existing permits for the towns of Lincoln, Winn and Chester.

What Maine outdoor lovers need to know about this summer’s dry conditions

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • August 12, 2025

The dry conditions in Maine mean that people enjoying the outdoors should use extra care to avoid starting a forest fire. The North Maine Woods and KI Jo-Mary Forest announced Monday they were not issuing fire permits. That means no fires are allowed at any unmaintained backcountry site or any area that requires a fire permit. Fires are still allowed at established campgrounds with maintained facilities and at private camps where permits are not required.

Fringe Fest bringing art to the streets of Biddeford

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • August 12, 2025

Heart of Biddeford’s annual Fringe Fest is coming to downtown Biddeford this Friday, kicking off River Jam weekend. Taking place on Washington Street, Fringe Fest is a vibrant celebration of experimental, original performances and exhibitions, elevating those on the edges of the Biddeford community.

Abandoned boat in Sasanoa River costs Arrowsic more than $8,000

TIMES RECORD • August 12, 2025

An abandoned boat that sat in the Sasanoa River since February was finally removed last month through the efforts of Arrowsic and several businesses. The wreck of the Hook, Line and Sinker was removed from the northern shore near the Max L. Wilder Memorial Bridge in Arrowsic on Monday, July 31, with crews patching holes in the boat before hauling it off for deconstruction. The towing cost the town approximately $8,175, with Bath Iron Works, Reed and Reed, Inc., and two anonymous donors helping the town with the cost of removal. “The owner of the boat has no resources for us to go after.”

Maine fishermen aren’t afraid of great white sharks. They’re fascinated.

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • August 12, 2025

Movies like “Jaws” — the 1975 hit starring a villainous (fictional) great white  — have fueled a perception that fishermen are at risk while they work with bloody bait and submerge their arms into the water to haul traps and buoys. But experts say fishermen — and swimmers — are largely safe from the apex predators off the Maine coast. Fishermen here seem mostly fascinated by the creatures.

20 stunning photos from iconic Acadia hiking trails

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • August 8, 2025

There’s no such thing as a bad view in Acadia National Park. With more than 120 miles of hiking trails and 26 mountains to summit within the park, there are countless places to soak in the sights of Mount Desert Island, the Atlantic Ocean and the surrounding Maine coast. And you don’t even have to go in summer to get the best views. In fact, sometimes the bare trees in winter give way to spectacular sights you may otherwise have missed.

The biggest fish caught at the Fort Kent muskie derby

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • August 11, 2025

Jim Campbell is the $2,000 winner of the 2025 Fort Kent International Muskie Derby. His fish was 42 ⅝ inches and 21.05 pounds. Emma Castonguay won $500 in the youth category, catching a muskie 42 ⅝ inches and 18.12 pounds. The St. John River was once renowned nationwide for its native brook trout fishery, with fish reaching five pounds. In 1980, Quebec stocked muskie in Lac-Frontière at the headwaters of the Northwest Branch without installing barriers or notifying Maine agencies. Muskie quickly spread throughout the system. The invasive predators devastated the brook trout population.

New app makes it easy for fishermen to collect hard data on black sea bass

MAINE PUBLIC • August 11, 2025

Maine fishermen and scientists are collaborating on a new tool to help study a warmer water fish species and assess its potential as a future commercial fishery in the rapidly warming Gulf of Maine. Anecdotally, Maine fishermen say they've seen more and more black sea bass in their traps and nets for at least a decade. But "we don't have any real data that is showing us that," says Ben Martens, executive director of the Maine Coast Fishermen's Association. This summer, that's starting to change, because the association and the science nonprofit Manomet have teamed up with local fishermen to launch a new app. Martens says, all they're asking of fishermen is: "if they see a black sea bass, to take a picture of it." That way scientists and managers can find out more about what's actually happening with black sea bass in the Gulf of Maine — and whether it could be an emerging commercial fishery.

University of New England students take sustainability knowledge into Maine communities

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • August 11, 2025

This summer, 16 University of New England students took their classroom knowledge of policy, marine science, mapping and farming into Southern Maine communities through the UNE Sustainability Fellowship program. Launched last summer with six fellows, the program grew significantly this year, as the university partnered with more local municipalities, nonprofits and businesses to host fellows for 10-week projects, the cost of which is shared between the school and partner organization.

Column: Monhegan maintains its magical allure — mostly

TIMES RECORD • August 11, 2025

We recently took our annual trip to Monhegan Island, a treasured tradition for over 40 years. A blue-sky Maine day enhanced the experience. The calm waters made for a smooth ride to the island with Hardy Boat Tours out of New Harbor. We chatted with three Bowdoin College students during the ride. They were planning to spend the day working on their summer research project on the island, which involves determining the ages of various trees. ~ David Treadwell

2nd bald eagle dies after fight with young eagle in Bar Harbor

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • August 11, 2025

A second bald eagle has died after a Wednesday fight with a younger eagle in Bar Harbor. The eagle was fighting with another bald eagle when their talons became tangled and came down on Bar Harbor Road, according to Acadia Wildlife Center. The fight happened after the younger eagle, who was about 4 years old, tested his limits when he encroached on a mated pair at Leland Point, possibly in a territorial or mating dispute.

Get off the Main(e)land and explore 22 of Maine’s islands

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • August 11, 2025

It’s not just the Maine coastline that draws locals and visitors alike. People can find welcome relief from rising temperatures by exploring the natural beauty of the state’s many coastal and lake islands. The state boasts thousands of them, each one offering a slightly different vibe — from rocky shorelines to sandy beaches, and quiet forests to bustling harbors. Although we can’t cover all of them, we have a list of 22 islands worth visiting in southern and Midcoast Maine.

Opinion: Maine must take more action on tick-borne disease

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • August 11, 2025

In Maine we face a creeping, quiet natural disaster: the ongoing epidemic of Lyme disease and associated tick-borne illnesses. In 2024, Maine reported its highest number of Lyme cases to date, and the trend shows no sign of slowing in 2025. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 476,000 Americans are diagnosed and treated for Lyme disease annually. Yet, calls for comprehensive prevention and education too often go unanswered or receive only half-hearted attention. We must invest in prevention, infrastructure, robust scientific research and public awareness. We must ensure that every Mainer knows how to protect themselves and their family from Lyme and associated diseases — and that our public health system is ready to respond with urgency and compassion. ~ Barb and Bob Maurais

Letter: The sad story of Jamie’s Pond

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • August 11, 2025

On July 26, 2016, I sent a letter objecting to the tree harvest at Jamie’s Pond Wildlife Management Area. After, I met with the commissioner for Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. He told me the logging operation would proceed. There was not the political will or public interest to stop it. It wasn’t an important issue. I was assured I did not understand forestry principles. After the logging, large swaths of the forest were left bare. These filled in with small, dense beech trees that are now dying. The logging operation left the forest in perfect condition for beech leaf disease. Given our current political climate, especially federally—without regard to the future, denial of climate change, decrease in funding for research and environmental protections—what will be next? ~ Scott Schiff-Slater, Hallowell