Audio MP3s: ME Supreme Judicial Court hearing oral arguments on rockweed case 11/14/17

 Seaweed harvesters cut intertidal rockweed during high
tide, using cutting barges and handpowered pole cutting

On November 14, 2017 the Maine Supreme Judicial Court heard oral arguments of an appeal by the seaweed cutting industry of a Maine Superior Court decision finding rockweed growing in the intertidal area  to be "owned" by the  shoreowner. SCROLL DOWN TO SPEAKERS

The case is  Kenneth W. Ross, Carl E. Ross And Roque Island Gardner Homestead Corporation, Plaintiffs / Appellees, V. Acadian Seaplants, Ltd., Defendant / Appellant.  CLF Amicus:   Docket # WAS-17-142

AUDIO MP3s
Part 0. Introduction  by Chief Justice 1min 44sec

Part 1 Acadian Sea Plants attorney & questions 13min 44sec

Part 2. Maine DMR attorney Connors & questions 5min 32sec

Part 3 Attorney Smith  for defendant & questions 19min 10sec

Part 4 Rebuttal by Acadian Atty to End 2min 43sec

Full recording 42 min 32sec 

Rockweed Armageddon? Listen to scientist Robin Hadlock Seeley speak and take questions on the threat to our intertidal seaweed forests from increased mechanized harvesting & lack of no-take areas.

Conservationists and Maine's seaweed industry are clashing over whether to leave natural rockweed forests uncut in the intertidal zone off protected private shores - when the landowner wishes so - or to allow all rockweed forests along the Maine coast to be open to harvest under state regs. Things are coming to a head. Info www.rockweedcoalition.org 

Below listen to eminent conservationist  and academic researcher Robin Hadlock Seeley speaking at the February 4, 2015 meeting of

 the Friends of Penobscot Bay in Belfast, Maine.

     Robin  describes rockweed, its harvest & use, how the Maine Department of Marine Resources won't manage it  to conserve fish and shellfish habitat,&what the Maine Legislature may do. Then takes questions from FOPB and from several members of the seaweed processing industry!  All recordings are downloadable mp3s.
RECORDINGS  (MP3S)
* Robin Hadlock Seeley presentation 15 minutes
* Question & Answer session Part 1. 4min 15sec
* Q&A Part 2. 4min 15sec
* Q&A Part 3. 4min 23sec
* Q&A Part 4. 5min 7sec
* Q&A Part 5  5min 42sec