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Commercial Fisheries News
Volume 33 Number 4
December 2005
Maine plans waterfront access pilot program
AUGUSTA, ME - Now that Maine voters have authorized a $2 million bond issue to fund the Maine Working Waterfront Access Pilot Program, state officials must take on the ambitious task of working out the details as quickly as possible.
But no one is complaining. The program, which is believed to be the first of its kind in the country, represents a chance to make a real difference in the future of the fishing industry in Maine, and the people involved are embracing the challenge.
“We’re excited about it,” said David Etnier, a deputy commissioner of the Maine Department of Marine Resources (DMR). “We really want to make this work.”
Once up and running – possibly by early spring – the pilot program will provide financial grants of up to 50 percent of the cost to help private businesses, fishermen’s co-ops, municipalities, and certain organizations put together the capital necessary to buy and preserve specific pieces of working waterfront property.
By accepting this financial assistance, the buyers agree to ensure permanent use of and access to the property by commercial fisheries businesses.
Property acquisitions can include full title to a piece of land, a conservation and/or access easement, or development rights, according to a joint announcement by the DMR and the Maine State Planning Office (SPO).
“The Maine Working Waterfront Access Pilot Program is aimed at protecting waterfront land with the facilities, capacity, and services needed to support commercial fisheries businesses,” the agencies said.
In this case, the state defines commercial fisheries businesses as “enterprises directly or indirectly concerned with the commercial harvest of wild or aquacultured fish or shellfish.”
The pilot program’s enabling legislation allows DMR to hire a contractor to set up the program, so writing and then posting the request for proposals for the contracting work is an important next step.
DMR is also responsible for figuring out who to place on the review panel that will be responsible for sorting through the funding requests and making recommendations to the DMR commissioner on which proposals should be funded.
As of mid-November, the agency was leaning toward a 5- to 10-member panel made up of members of the public who represent different geographic areas of the state and different fisheries and have other skills that qualify them to evaluate proposals.
Another task is fleshing out specific criteria for accepting proposals. For example, Etnier said those who apply will probably need to provide proof of ability to hold up their end of the deal, financially speaking.
Covenant
DMR and the SPO have a bill in place for consideration during the second session of the Legislature that begins in January to create a working waterfront covenant.
Jim Connors of the SPO explained that this covenant will be similar to covenants used in other endeavors in which public money is invested in private enterprise.
Using the affordable housing example, the covenant ensures the public that the resulting rental units will remain affordable, Connors said.
The working waterfront covenant will ensure that the property will be legally protected specifically for commercial fishing use into the future.
Time frame
With skyrocketing waterfront prices, $2 million won’t go far, which is just one more reason the pilot program administrators are so focused on getting the project selection process right the first time.
“There is very limited money and this is a pilot program,” said Connors. “So, it’s especially important to come up with a few good projects that, hopefully, will engender confidence and persuade the Legislature to authorize more funding in the years to come.”
Etnier and Connors said they anticipate accepting requests for funding by early spring, perhaps even sooner.
Pilot program information will be distributed through the DMR mailing list and through the SPO’s Land for Maine’s Future web site, which can be found at <www.state.me.us/spo/lmf>.
Lorelei Stevens
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