YOUTH VOICES: Changing Seas: Reflections on the Future of the Fishing Industry

Are you a young person in Downeast Maine concerned about climate change or curious to learn more?

Join Maine Youth for Climate Justice member Riley Stevenson and Youth Activist Joey McLaughlin on Wednesday, September 29, 2021, from 7 to 8 p.m., for a screening of “Changing Seas: Reflections on the Future of the Fishing Industry.” Join the discussion and learn how to get involved.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) the Gulf of Maine is among the fastest-warming regions of the entire global ocean. For those who live and work in Maine’s coastal fishing communities, the future is becoming increasingly uncertain.

Maine Youth for Climate Justice member Riley Stevenson has lived on the coast of Maine for most of her young life. Witnessing firsthand the immediately apparent impacts of the rapidly accelerating climate crisis on the local fishing industry, Stevenson is passionate about making sure that Maine’s coastal communities have the support they need to continue to adapt and thrive. Central to their success is having a voice at the table.

Stevenson’s video documentary shines a spotlight on four young fisherman and women in coastal Maine as they share their observations and experiences related to the effects of accelerating climate change. Miles Bracy (Port Clyde, ME), Nate Philbrook (Little Cranberry Island, Islesford, ME), Sarah Vanacore (Damariscotta, ME) and Kaylee Poland (Round Pond, Bremen, ME) share their concerns and feelings about the growing climate crisis and how the situation is affecting their decisions about the future.

“I felt like it was really important to talk to these young people, who are often really left out of the climate conversations that we have in the State,” said Stevenson. “We’re hearing quite a bit from young people and we're hearing a bit from other communities, but we're not often listening to the voices of those who are actually spending their days on the bodies of water that are being most affected by this crisis.”

Healthy Acadia and Maine Youth Action Network work to empower youth, inspire youth leaders, and amplify youth voices across Maine.

Click here or go to bit.ly/changing-seas to register for the September 29 screening event and discussion.