We're exploring the world of Black Sea Bass in the Gulf of Maine with Marissa McMahan. Marissa is the senior director of Fisheries at Manomet who did her PHD on black sea bass. Often used as an example of a climate "winner" in the Gulf of Maine, we know shockingly little about this species in the northern extent of its habitat. Marissa shares some of the research she has done, some information on black sea bass management, and some details on a project MCFA and Manomet are partnering on with local fishermen to collect new data on this species. check out our blog at www.mainecoastfishermen.org for a story map of this project.

Ben Martens chats with Dr. Adam Subhas of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution to explore the research initiative known as the Loc-Ness project. Loc-Ness stands for Locking away Ocean Carbon in the Northeast Shelf and Slope and is testing the safety and effectiveness of ocean alkalinity enhancement to combat climate change.

When you picture cod, you probably see an olive or silver colored fish. But Emily Coffin caught a red cod in her lobster traps and shared it with the team at MCFA. We had some questions, as did a bunch of our followers on social, so we asked Graham Sherwood of the Gulf of Maine Research Institute to join Ben Martens for a conversation about red cod.

Ben Martens chats with Lulu Bates from the Department of Marine Resources (DMR) about the health and future of Maine’s northern shrimp fishery. Lulu, a marine biologist with DMR, brings a wealth of knowledge to the discussion, covering the current state of the fishery, the concerns fishermen have about the science behind it, and the challenges faced by those who love to catch or enjoy Maine shrimp.

In the summer of 2024, the US Supreme Court struck down the "Chevron Doctrine" in a case brought by a group of New Jersey herring fishermen. In this episode, Ben Martens interviews Andrew (Drew) Minkiewicz, an attorney at Black Point Maritime Law, about what this might and might not mean for fisheries.

Environmental DNA, or eDNA, is a method of detecting and monitoring species by collecting their DNA from environmental samples like water, soil, or air. Ben Martens chats with Emily Pierce and Alex Ascher about their research into eDNA and the application of this emerging data collection process for Maine's fisheries. BLOG for more information https://www.mainecoastfishermen.org/post/podcast-the-opportunity-of-edna-for-maine-s-fisheries

Dr. Dave Reidmiller joins the podcast to discuss a recent study out of Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution which found that the Gulf Stream is warming and weakening. Ben and Dave give an overview of the importance of the Gulf Stream, why a warming Gulf Stream is a weaker Gulf Stream, and what that could mean for the Gulf of Maine, the Atlantic Ocean, and the rest of the world. We also throw some cold water on the “Day After Tomorrow" scenario that some alarmist publications have suggested is happening. More Info at the MCFA Blog https://www.mainecoastfishermen.org/post/podcast-a-weakening-gulf-stream-with-david-reidmiller

Dr. Jamie Cournane of the New England Fishery Management Council joins Ben Martens to talk haddock. The most recent stock assessment indicates that fishermen need to cut their catch by over 80% as the biomass is lower than previously thought. Dr. Cournane walks us through the stock assessment process, what might have gone wrong, and what the future looks like for this important fishery.

Colleen Coogan of NOAA Fisheries Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office, joins Dock Talk to give an update on the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Team's work to protect northern right whales. What's on the table? How is the Take Reducation Team determining "risk" to right whales? Who is ultimately making regulation decisions? And how can fishermen engage in the process? To learn more about this issue. Listen to our previous episode Dock Talk with Patrice McCarron of the Maine Lobstermen's Association.

Menhaden has been referred to as the "most important fish in the sea" in reference to its role as forage in the Atlantic. Its importance to Maine's working waterfront is much more nuanced as it's only recently returned to Maine waters but has already become of outsized importance as forage and bait in the Gulf of Maine. In this episode of Maine Coast Dock Talk, Ben Martens talks with Megan Ware of the Maine Department of Marine Resources to better understand what's happening with menhaden.

The Maine Lobstermen's Association's executive director Patrice McCarron joins Dock Talk to give an update on three lawsuits moving forward regarding the future of the commercial lobster fishery in Maine in response to a call to protect right whales. Right whales are a critically endangered species in the Atlantic and NOAA fisheries have started to develop and implement new rules and regulations to try and protect the whales from extintion. Environmental activists and fishing associations both have concerns about the process, and as such have filed three separate lawsuits in response to decisions that have been made and the data behind those decisions. Patrice gives a breakdown of where we are, and some of the concerns she has for the future of the Maine lobstering community