Emily Lane, president of Vinalhaven Kelp, Inc., leads a board of directors that requires 70 percent of the business shareholders to make their livelihood from some sort of fishing.

PHOTO ESSAY BY COURTNEY MOONEY

At the end of September, an unprecendented bloom of the phytoplankton karenia mikimotoi extended from Cape Elizabeth to the New Meadows River.

“People were clamoring for it and are happy to have it open.” —Chris Gardner

Lobster landings fell off significantly this season compared with 2016. But 2016 was a record year, and some fishermen aren’t surprised to see a drop-off. They also believe the resource remains healthy.

“I love the house. It lives well.” —Patricia Festino

A town grew here only after the paper mill was built to take advantage of the natural hydro power.

We all want the same thing for Maine—robust working waterfronts, resilient coastal communities, and conservation of natural resources…

And another lesson: Nantucket is so wonderfully preserved in its 19th and 18th century splendor because when the whaling industry died, the island became a ghost town. It was only in the 1930s that...