Envision Resilience Team Attends the Maine Fishermen’s Forum

Members of the Envision Resilience Team (from left: Charlotte Van Voorhis, Bob Miklos and Claire Martin) attended the Maine Fishermen’s Forum, an annual event that brings together all corners of Maine’s marine industry.

By Charlotte Van Voorhis

On a bright, sunny and freezing cold day in late February, members of the Envision Resilience team attended the annual Maine Fishermen’s Forum in Rockport, Maine. Started in 1976, the Maine Fishermen’s Forum is a gathering of stakeholders from across the state and organizations related to fishing, science and marine industries. From panel discussions on offshore wind developments to the Maine Lobstermen’s Annual Meeting, the forum offered invaluable opportunities to delve into pressing issues facing Maine’s coastal communities. The Forum also featured a tradeshow showcasing marine equipment and mobile clinics providing health screenings for fishermen.

The three-day forum provided opportunities to expand our growing network of Maine partners, as we prepare for the fourth iteration of the Envision Resilience Challenge in Portland and South Portland running as a design studio in the fall of 2024. Being equal parts design studio and community engagement initiative, the Envision Resilience program begins long before the fall semester with partner meetings, coffee chats and site visits as the team wraps its arms around the people, the culture, the history and the complex challenges of a particular coastal community.

Thanks to connections with folks from the City of Portland, the City of South Portland, local nonprofits and science organizations like the Island Institute and Gulf of Maine Research Institute, we have met with numerous leaders who are navigating the complexities of environmental resilience in a changing climate. These organizations, along with many others, are well-connected and deeply entrenched in the community around Portland and South Portland.

The Forum included a seafood dinner featuring fresh bounty from Maine farmers and organizations. In the Samoset Resort ballroom, conversation buzzed as attendees ate fresh clam chowder, crab rolls and countless mussels. Oyster farmer Ken Sparta, of Spartan Sea Farms, shucked his own oysters for attendees and happily chatted with our team. We left feeling satiated and excited to follow up with all of our new partners, rock stars in all of their fields.

Stay tuned for updates on the academic partners in the 2024 Envision Resilience Portland and South Portland Challenge, which will be announced in the next few months.