Shore Access

As a fishing community, Gouldsboro depends on its working waterfront. Intertidal lands are part of that waterfront. Maine adopted its laws governing the intertidal zone from Massachusetts, including a 1647 law that granted everyone permission to use the intertidal zone for “fishing, fowling, and navigation.” Consequently, subject to other laws governing hunting seasons and licenses for fishing and clamming, anyone can use the land between low tide and high tide for hunting, fishing, clam digging, and other forms of “fishing, fowling, and navigation.”

If they can get there.

Most of the land along the shore is in private hands. Not many years ago, private landowners often worked out handshake arrangements that enabled clam harvesters to get to the shore. But property along Gouldsboro’s shore has been changing hands quickly, a trend that has accelerated since the onset of COVID, when more people began working remotely. The Gouldsboro Shore project is working to keep these arrangements in place whenever possible. Here is the latest news on what we have been doing.

Latest Posts

Meet your Local Clams!

On Sunday, July 30th, Gouldsboro Shore welcomed community members to a Schoodic Arts event in Prospect Harbor’s Methodist Church to meet, eat, and learn about soft-shell clams. Twenty-seven people attended, along with twelve volunteers to staff information tables.

Meet and Eat Local Clams

Sunday, July 30, is the date for this year’s Meet Your Local Clams party. We will be sampling clam recipes and talking about Gouldsboro’s clam fishery at the Prospect Harbor Methodist Church from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM. You can come and eat for free, but you have to register!

Addressing Change in Gouldsboro

A Sunday workshop at Peninsula School brought Gouldsboro residents together to talk about change. They considered impacts of sea level rise, severe storms, rising house prices, broadband, food insecurity, and the future of the old cannery. If you missed it, this will catch you up.