A half-dozen harvesters have approval this year to take rockweed from Cobscook Bay, a 40-square-mile body of water considered a biological hotspot for its biodiversity and the epicenter of a long-simmering dispute over the commercial harvest of rockweed.
The controversy made national headlines in 2008.
While the issue no longer dominates the agenda of Washington County commissioners — complaints about unusual amounts of cut rockweed floating about have abated and many of the harvest boats have disappeared from the bay — the issue continues to fester. Many believe it is just a matter of time before it resurfaces as the demand for rockweed products keeps rising.
Read the complete story from The Portland Press Herald.