Keepin' it Local

Lately, I have been in a retrospective mindset. I've been thinking about my past experiences and what I gained from them. I've also been pondering what all of these diverse adventures are leading to. In other words, if I have a path, then what place do all of those jobs have in that path? What does it all mean?!

Today was a typical day in Cap's workshop. Were were intently building traps and listening to WERU, a local, liberal community-based radio station. Raj Patel was speaking about "The Art of Democracy" and had some interesting points to make in his thick Brittish accent. It was when he was talking about the "tragedy of the commons" theory that I realized the theme of my experiences. What do deforestation in the community of Igarape-Acu, Alto Moju, Brazil and lobstering in Pemaquid, Maine, USA have in common? Community resource management! How about boatbuilding and oyster aquaculture? I think you get my drift. . .

My interests throughout my academic and working career have flip-flopped between forestry and fisheries for years now. I attributed the the commonality between these disciplines being their scientific basis, therefore explaining my interest in them. This is certainly true, but it goes deeper than that. What really fires me up is seeing how community members cooperate and compete as they harvest the natural resources on which they are economically dependent. I am also intrigued by how the community manipulates the market to which it sells resources. These are prominent themes in both forestry and fisheries.

I am also growing increasingly aware of how important it is for communities to turn to local markets and not depend on large-scale distributors. Keeping resources in local circulation is economically and environmentally more sustainable. It is more economically efficient, since it decreases the number of "middlemen" that a product passes through before reaching the consumer. It cuts down on resources that are required to transport the product (such as gas or diesel) far away. And it facilitates social/economic networking within the community, building a web of interdependence closer to home that is potentially more dependable than being subject to the peaks and plummets of the greater economy.

These are some of the motivations behind my dream to facilitate building a local market for our seafood. There is one excellent example of this right here on the Damariscotta River. There are 5 or 6 oyster aquaculture companies on the River, most of which sell their oysters to large-scale distributors or to big seafood restaurants in far-away cities. They are able to sell large quantities this way, but receive a lower profit, since the product is passing through many hands along the way. Pemaquid Oyster Co., on the other hand, does most of their marketing locally. They sell their oysters to local restaurants and stores. It is more work to interact directly with business owners and deliver their oysters to multiple locations, however they are able to fetch a better price for their product.

Some day I would like to enact this concept with multiple fisheries on the Peninsula, perhaps even creating a local market for some seafood, such as spider crabs. However, my dream is still in the making. It's important to have patience with big dreams.