By Carol McCracken (Post # 592)

For the next three days interested parties will be participating in a Working Waterways and Waterfronts National Symposium here in Portland. A broad range of subjects will be covered and will kick-off this evening with a welcome reception at the Holiday Inn by the Bay at 6 pm.

Tomorrow morning Mayor Nick Mavodones, and operations manager, of the Casco bay Linves Ferry Service will welcome participants to the symposium. It will be followed by a keynote address by US Senator Susan Colllins via video. Later in the day, Bill Needleman, senior planner for Portland will be part of a panel discussing “Regulation Supporting Redevelopment Revitalization, Retention of Working Waterfronts: New England Examples.” This is a subject that Bill is well acquainted with as he’s been working on Portland’s own consideration of relaxing the city’s waterfront zoning ordinance to permit more non-marine use on the waterfront.

The conference concludes on Thursday at noon. The symposium is sponsored by Sea Grant, VIrginia Institute of Marine Science, the Maine Coastal Program, National Fisherman, the National Marine Manufacturers Association and other groups.

NOTE: According to the current issue of “Mainebiz” September 20, 2010 – “Seafood hauled to Portland in 2009 was valued at $16.6 million last year compared with $22.6 million in 2008, the Bangor Daily News reported. The city was ranked the country’s No. 56 fishing port by value in 2009, down from No. 36 in 2008. In the 1990s, Portland regularly ranked among the top 10. The city’s catch by volume was 37.3 million pounds, ranking it 24th in the country.”

Two hundred and nineteen people have registered for the Symposium. For more information, please email www.wateraccessus.com