Dear Editor:

We “Boothbayites” are blessed for our greatest, most abundant resource lies within feet of our back doors, our beautiful abundant North Atlantic. Even before us Europeans came to our shores, native people from the north and inland, made yearly pilgrimages to the coast to feast on seafood and enjoy the cool breezes. This trend has continued and now it’s the world that comes.

Inland communities have to invest labor and capital to draw visitors — our attraction is God given. Our ocean and rivers are the “cake” of our economy. Tourism is the “icing.” This was once just a summer thing. Now, thankfully, the season has expanded with some winter attractions. However, more is needed. The old model worked for some 100 years but now we get more “frosting” and less “cake.”

For one thing, our the pieces of “cake” are getting smaller. They used to contain a lot of commercial fishing but before the 200-mile limit passed, the “horse” has left the barn. Another mainstay was shipbuilding, and going even further back, world trade. Can any of these be revived or even augmented?

I say yes. There is nothing wrong with “frosting” but without some “cake,” all you have is confectionery sugar – not a healthy diet.

While we no longer build clipper ships or set sail for China or the Orient, our boatyards are thriving. Fish processing, which once provided winter work, is pretty much gone but our lobster fishing is still healthy.  Our wild seafood stocks can no longer carry our overpopulated, hungry world. Aquaculture is here and now. Many are investing and resourcing now with environmentally friendly seafood growing methods. Our educational system needs to “gear up” and produce the workforce to make it happen and to train the technical workforce for our boatyards. Our young people are our future.

Some of our fish stocks are underutilized. Many of us used to enjoy mackerel – fried, pickled or baked. Mackerel are now considered bait fish. What happened?

We need to reconsider our processing facilities for our seafood and sea vegetables.

Boatyards, processing and science provide year-round work and more “cake.” Perhaps we can have our “cake” and eat it, too.

Frances Bredeau

Boothbay Harbor