Coastal Access Strategy Exchange

The mission of the Coastal Access Strategy Exchange (CASE) is to Preserve and expand the footpaths, wharves, piers, and other working waterfront locations that provide essential access points to coastal fisheries and waters of the Gulf of Maine, supporting the economic well-being of fishing families, water-dependent businesses, and coastal communities.

CASE started in 2023 under the leadership of a shellfish harvester and oyster farmer, Chris Warner. Since then, it has evolved into a community of practice managed as project of the Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association.

CASE Goals include:

Increase funding and capacity for working waterfront preservation, expansion, and adaptation.
Develop working waterfront metrics that incorporate social and cultural values.
Preserve harvester access to the intertidal mudflats.
Identify State level policy solutions around coastal access and working waterfront.
Improve communication and awareness of working waterfront among CASE members, other stakeholders, members of coastal communities, coastal property owners, land trusts, and the public at large.

CASE members have been working on various strategies to preserve working waterfront access with its diverse membership. Some highlights include:

Collaborating with the Maine Association of Realtors on a newsletter highlighting the importance of preserving walk-in access for shellfish harvesters thorough private property.
Revising regulations for the Current Land Use Program for working waterfront, through a bill sponsored by Representative Dan Ankeles (Brunswick) in the 131st legislature.
Conducting outreach to working waterfront owners, municipalities and regional planning organizations about the new incentives under the Current Land Use Working Waterfront Program.
Identifying funding opportunities to protect working waterfronts.
Creating a forum for discussing storm response and recovery following the January of 2024 storms.
Developing an outreach memo for municipal shellfish programs to reduce risk of a shellfish growing area closure due to PFAS contamination.
Ongoing collaboration with similar groups and organizations with similar missions.

For more information, contact Monique Coombs or Jessica Gribbon Joyce.