Please be advised that R/V Endeavor, a research ship homeported at the University of Rhode Island, will be in Penobscot Bay November 2-7 conducting research. The 180-foot vessel will be sampling the Bay at specific stations (shown in red on the map below) for mercury contamination in the water column and in zooplankton. Each station will run 1-3 hours. The vessel will operate 24 hours each day but may remain at a station at night. The ship’s call sign is WCE5063, operating on channel 16 and 13; captain's email is [email protected]. Vessel web page is https://marineops.gso.uri.edu.

Notice to Lobstermen: Proposed Wells Harbor Dredge, Comments Due 7/25/23

DMR Solicits Public Comment Regarding the Maintenance Dredging of the Wells Harbor Town Anchorages

Pursuant to 38 M.R.S. §480-D, sub-§9, the Maine Department of Marine Resources (DMR) is required to provide the Maine Department of Environmental Protection with an assessment on the impacts on the fishing industry of a proposed dredging operation. The Town of Wells is proposing maintenance dredging of two town anchorage areas within Wells Harbor to be conducted concurrently with US Army Corps of Engineers Federal Navigation Project maintenance dredging. The work consists of dredging of the town anchorage areas to a depth of 6 feet MLLW with allowance for up to 1 foot of overdredge to 7 feet MLLW. The proposed dredging entails removing approximately 19,800 cubic yards (cy) of sandy material from a total of 3.3 acres. A cutterhead pipeline dredge will remove the material and pump it to areas on Wells Beach for beach nourishment. Dredging work is proposed to be performed between November 9 and March 31. The timing for the town dredge will depend on the contractor’s schedule for the already approved federal project scheduled to take place between September 15 and March 31. Periodic maintenance dredging of the anchorages will occur every one to four years to maintain the majority of their authorized depths. The federal and town interim dredges may or may not occur together. If completed together, the dredging timeline, method, and beneficial reuse would be coordinated with the federal activities. If undertaken separately, it is likely that the town dredges will be done by a bucket dredge, with the effort focusing on the excessively shoaled areas in the anchorages. Placement will occur at the nearshore site off Wells Beach.

Written comments about this dredging project must be received by DMR at the email or mailing address listed below by 5:00 p.m. July 25, 2023: Department of Marine Resources, Attn: Environmental Permit Review, 21 State House Station, Augusta, Maine 04333

Please be advised that Prock Marine Company will be dredging the Dysarts Great Harbor Marina in Southwest Harbor. Work will be starting on February 21^th through March 31^th 2023.  Operations will be conducted daily from 0700 to 1700.

Great Lakes Dock and Dredge, Inc. will be conducting maintenance and improvement dredging in Portsmouth Harbor and Piscataqua River, Newington, New Hampshire and Eliot, Maine starting 1 November 2021 to 1 April 2023. 

Operations will be conducted 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and transiting the dredged material south to Nantasket Beach as well as to the Isle of Shoals North disposal site.  The attached haul route shows the width of the approved route.  Fishermen should remove gear from the haul route immediately.  Maine DMR works with the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to provide notice to fishermen of these routes, but did not receive final confirmation of this route until today.  According to the USACE, dredging will begin on or about Nov 16^th – the initial material SHOULD be going to MA nearshore sites BUT there is a possibility they may have some material would need to go to IOSN.  Blasting will begin in December, with all of that material going to IOSN.