Harpswell Marine Resources & Harbor Management

08/24/2026

Clam harvesting is one of the most challenging jobs on the coastline; working around the ever-changing tides in all kinds of weather, spending hours wading through knee-deep mud, bent down for back-breaking digging in our flats. Another challenge that most folks aren’t aware of is the limited public access points available to get to those productive mudflats. Fortunately, many Harpswell landowners understand this challenge, and offer our commercial harvesters the opportunity to walk across part of their property, so these men and women can make a living harvesting Maine’s iconic steamers and quahogs. Once a year, Harpswell shellfish harvesters says “thanks” by hosting a Landowner Appreciation Day, serving up homemade clam chowder and fresh local corn on the cob. Stop by the Merriconeag Grange on August 30 from 11am to 2pm, grab a cup of chowder, and meet some of Harpswell’s finest shellfish harvesters!

08/18/2026

Todays haul…
These are unregistered, abandoned moorings from one small area in Quahog Bay that were removed by one of our contractors.

Why do we need to take them out? Well, there are a few good reasons:

* Abandoned, neglected moorings can become hung-down and create a navigation hazard, or chain can become thin and brittle, eventually breaking and setting the mooring ball adrift, and leaving a rogue anchor on the bottom that can damage fishing gear.

* Abandoned moorings in areas with dense mooring fields or folks on waiting lists are taking up space that could be used by actual people with actual boats who actually want to enjoy the water.

If you hold a mooring permit, please help us keep Harpswell waters safe for everyone and keep your mooring registered and inspected ⚓️

08/12/2026

Just a little more advice from the state on the exciting shark-filled summer we’re having 🦈

With the increase in sightings of white sharks along Maine's coast, particularly near southern Maine beaches, we encourage visitors to take the following precautions:

Avoid excessive splashing - splashing might mimic an injured fish.

Avoid wearing shiny jewelry - jewelry reflects light like fish scales.

Avoid swimming at dawn or dusk and swim with a buddy - It’s important to swim when you can see what’s around you, and with a buddy in case help is needed.

Stay close to shore or near lifeguards.

Don’t swim near people fishing.

Don’t swim near schools of fish or seals - It’s important to stay away from animals or scents that could attract sharks.

Be careful near steep drop-offs and sandbars - This is where sharks sometimes like to hunt.

Pay attention to signs and lifeguard instructions regarding sharks.

If you see a white shark, you can be part of the citizen science community and report it on the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy’s Sharktivity phone app - https://www.atlanticwhiteshark.org/sharktivity-app

Information on Maine DMR white shark research along with shark facts can be found at https://bit.ly/4xC5Afk

07/31/2026

Most of our locals know everything there is to know about our annual lobster boat races, but for those who are not year-round residents, or simply come visit us in the summertime, here is a great article to explain why this event is so important to our community, and how it honors the deep traditional roots in Harpswell of helping one another in times of need.

From roaring engines to a Santa Fund boost, the Harpswell Lobster Boat Races are about more than speed. Discover how this exciting event brings the community together each year.

07/22/2026

Sunday is going to be a big day in town, hoping everyone will enjoy the day safely - and let’s remember those from our community who won’t be with us on the water this year ⚓️

07/19/2026

When the King Tides come around in Maine, they often result in the flotation of large logs, trees, and branches from the shoreline. These can sometimes float into coves and potentially snag in lobster buoys and moorings, and folks will often call the Town to ask if we are going to come remove them; the answer is usually “no”, and this is why…

* The Harbormaster Department in Harpswell is “small but mighty”, consisting of one full time Harbormaster with a modest 19.5’ Maritime skiff and 150hp outboard. Given the massive amount of duties and responsibilities that are mandated by the Harbor and Waterfront Ordinance, time and resources are already stretched thin in the summer, with long waitlists for mooring permits and local issues in the harbors, and there are simply not enough hours in the day to respond to floating trees and branches everywhere in the 200+ miles of coastline in Town, as much as we would like to assist.

* Fishing gear (lobster pot buoys) may only be handled by the licensed commercial fisherman to whom they belong - that’s a state marine resources law - so those guys will handle debris in their gear themselves. They also usually have superior boats, horsepower, and hydraulic haulers that work great in those situations.

* Moorings are the responsibility of the mooring permit holder. In addition to mandatory inspections, you are also responsible to handle issues such as a “hung down” mooring, or debris in your mooring gear. If you do not feel comfortable handling it yourself, then you should contact one of the many local marine contractors in the area who are equipped to handle the situation for you. Another option is to foster and maintain good community relations with your neighbors on the water - both the mooring holders, as well as the commercial fishermen. Sometimes a problem that’s too big for you alone can be conquered with a little bit of group cooperation.

We are fortunate in Maine to have large ebbing tides twice a day, that will eventually move trees and branches like these out to sea, once they have been guided into the main channel at the turn of the tide, and they will eventually undergo the process of natural decay. In the meantime, we expect everyone on the water to drive safely (keep your eyes open for floating debris always, but especially after King Tides), and give your neighbor a hand if you can - because you might be the one who needs help the next time.

07/12/2026

Let’s talk about the new shark flag policy…

The Selectboard recently adopted a new policy for the shark flag use in Harpswell, which essentially simplifies the process to all flags going up around town at the first sighting anywhere, and staying up for the rest of the tourist season. Here is a glimpse into the science behind that decision.

In March of 2025, a scientific tagging and telemetry study on the seasonal and spatial distribution of great white sharks along the Maine coastline was published in Frontiers in Marine Science. There are a few key takeaways from the study, including:

* The intensity of great white sharks (number of individuals and repeat appearances) in our area has significantly increased since 2019, and the peak season is late May through early October.

* Many sharks were documented as travelling over 50 miles along the coast in less than 24 hours, and returning to sites on a regular basis.

* Sharks are more likely to be present when there is plenty of food. Sharks hunt seals. Seals hunt pogies. Harpswell waters have some of the highest pogie landings in the state of Maine, and if you’ve been on the water lately, you know there’s pogies in every part of town right now.

Waiting for the first reported sighting is an excellent way to start alerting the public that sharks have arrived for the season. Harpswell waters are a documented favorite spot for sharks to hang out, travel through, and return to for the entire summer and into fall. There’s no way we could ever be sure about where every shark might be at all times, but it’s scientifically reasonable to assume that they are in our area for many months at a time, coming and going, and the most prudent way to make sure the public is aware of this fact is to keep the flags flying, until the end of the season.

07/11/2026

There was a healthy crowd on the water today to watch the Air Show. If you plan to come out tomorrow, please respect the temporary No Wake zone everywhere north of the Ewin Narrows bridge - and have a wonderful day out there!

07/10/2026

There are seasonal spots for eight dinghies or sixteen kayaks (or any combination of those) at these Town racks at Mitchell Field - applications are now available on the Town website at https://www.harpswell.maine.gov/moorings

Completed applications will be accepted beginning on July 15 - drop off in person or email to [email protected]

07/06/2026

What do these three things have in common? They are all species of jellyfish that are common in Maine waters.

Why are we posting this? Because one of them (lion’s mane jellyfish, the dark one with all the visible tentacles), can cause painful stings, and should be avoided. Check the beach before you wade into the water, avoid lion’s mane jellyfish.