MCCF Monthly
November 2020
November is National Gratitude Month and we would like to express a
sincere thank you for everyone who has stayed connected with MCCF
throughout the year when we have not been able to gather in person.
While our education center was closed to the public this summer, we
still found a way to stay connected through our virtual Lunch & Learns
and online educational series, Ask Leroy!, which can be viewed here.

Our office remains closed to the public, but we continue to move forward together with our collaborative approach to sustainable fishing in eastern Maine. We're available to meet by appointment to discuss our work while answering any questions you may have about Maine's fisheries.

In this edition of MCCF Monthly, we're sharing highlights from the
last groundfish survey trip of the year and a recent virtual gathering
with researchers and scientists focusing on river herring. We also
invite you to join us for Giving Tuesday. Read below to find
out how you can get involved in this important global movement.
Groundfish Survey Wraps up 10th Season
The last day on the water couldn’t have been a prettier one for the end of October. We’ve had some nice calm and warm weather to finish up our sampling sites on the Eastern Gulf of Maine Sentinel Survey, which isn’t always the case in the fall on the coast of Maine! We also took the opportunity to bring along our Media Specialist, Tate Yoder to capture some video and photos of the trip. And it’s a good thing we did. On the second jig drop of the morning, Wesley Trundy, son of Captain Matt Trundy (pictured below), hooked up on something big as soon as his jig reached the bottom. He thought he snagged a ledge. He handed the rod off to his father for some assistance freeing it up, and the response on the other end of the line was no ledge. A few very exciting minutes later, Wes landed his very first Atlantic halibut. Just barely a keeper at 41 inches, Wes got to learn how to dress and ice the big prize and took it home for dinner. We took biological samples of the halibut, along with samples from the cod, pollock, and haddock from the rest of the day’s haul for diet and genetic studies performed by our partners. And of course, we had a feast on the grill for the late night steam home. We even tried fresh grilled halibut heart, which Wes reported “tasted like a juicy steak, with the texture of scallops.”
MCCF Co-hosts Virtual Gathering
for Researchers and Scientists
Studying River Herring
Last month, in typical “border organization” fashion, MCCF co-hosted an online workshop with the Manomet Fisheries Department to talk about river herring research and collaborative management in Maine and New England as a whole. Fifty participants from several academic institutions, federal, state, and local managers, community members, Passamaquoddy Tribe members, and various NGOs met for three energy-filled hours on these issues. Fifteen pages of rich notes were gathered in just one hour of breakout sessions. It was a great success! We have clear next steps to create a network of all of these folks working in river herring and to expand the list of who needs to be at the table. You can read more highlights from this meeting over on our blog.
Save the Date: Giving Tuesday
December 1, 2020
The countdown to Giving Tuesday is on! Save the date and mark your calendars for December 1st as we join thousands of other nonprofits across the globe, to raise awareness and money to support our mission through the use of social media. Last year, you helped MCCF raise over $7,000, including matched gifts. This year you will have the opportunity to hear from Maine fishermen, Like Captain Josh Duym of Lamoine (pictured) who have volunteered their time with MCCF because they believe that together we can fish forever.

We're excited to share that your Giving Tuesday gift will go twice as far, thanks to an anonymous donor. That's double the impact. Will you help us meet our goal of $10,000 that will go towards our various collaborative programs and projects? To make an early gift of support visit our giving page!

Be sure to follow us on social media - Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube - to learn more about this exciting opportunity, ways to get involved, and MCCF's collaborative work with fishermen throughout eastern Maine.
Upcoming Events
Collaborative Lobster Research Webinar Series
Maine Sea Grant, the Maine Department of Marine Resources, and the University of Maine's Lobster Institute will host a series of online talks focusing on collaborative research efforts in the lobster industry.
The full list of speakers and how to register can be viewed here.

Maximizing Value by Identifying Stressors in the Supply Chain
Thursday, November 19 at 7:00 pm

The Lobster and Jonah Crab Fleet:
A Unique Partnership Between Lobstermen and Scientists
Wednesday, December 2 at 7:00 pm
Be inspired. Fish forever.
Every day, Maine fishermen are working in unpredictable elements to bring fresh seafood to the tables of many. Maine Center for Coastal Fisheries continues efforts to secure a sustainable future for fisheries and fishing communities in Eastern Maine and beyond. We are taking collective actions that include the knowledge of fishermen, the findings of scientists and partnerships with regulatory authorities, at all levels, to make sure we can
keep fishing alive for today and for tomorrow’s fishery stewards.

We know that these are unprecedented times. If you are able to give,
please consider making a tax-deductible donation today.

Together we can fish forever.