State officials announced this week that they have begun the process of seeking a federal disaster declaration for recent storms that devastated sections of Maine's coastline. But in fishing communities like Stonington, residents are already working to assess the damage done to homes, businesses and waterfront infrastructure, and beginning the long process of recovery.
Greenhead Lobster is a well-established business in Stonington. With three docks on the island, the company buys lobsters from more than a hundred boats in the summer months, before sorting and processing the lobsters for sale.
At first glance, the company's Webb Cove dock looks peaceful this week, covered in a layer of snow. It's hard to imagine that a week ago, it was all underwater.
"It was at high tide, when that surge came up, it really, it was just more water than anyone really expected," said Allison Melvin, the company's marketing director.
She describes how Wednesday's storm inundated the dock, flooded freezers, fried electrical systems and swept slips out to sea.
And Greenhead's Joshua Betts says the operation's pump house, where seawater is piped into storage tanks for live lobsters, was barely hanging on.
"And I mean, that building was floating ... surprised it's still sitting where it is," he said. "It was just held on by the electrical wires and the hoses that go into it."
And once the water receded, staff rushed in to clean up and gather debris floating in the cove before the impending storm on Saturday.
Although the storms and their impact slowed most fishing operations, Betts says it hasn't stopped them.
"Like it doesn't really matter what happens, they're gonna keep going," he said. "So they're gonna find a way to get their traps in the water and go fishing."
And there are similar stories in other coastal towns. Damage to docks and piers is perhaps the most visible, but much of the electrical infrastructure built into the waterfront will also need to be replaced.
Linda Nelson, director of economic and community development , says Wednesday's storm took a toll on the public dock and the town-owned commercial pier.
"This pier has fuel on it, it sells fuel, it's got electronics on it, you see all the winches — none of that benefits from saltwater," Nelson said. "Much of that has to be replaced. We're estimating damage in millions of dollars here by the time we're done."
Businesses like Greenhead are now assessing the extent of the damage and the costs for repairs. But with the entire coast feeling the effects of the storms, there will be high demand for materials and contractors, which could slow recovery efforts.
And while it's the off-season for most fishermen in the area, lobster will once again become active during the warmer months, and Nelson says the industry will have to be ready.
"But it's essential that we recover from this and that our working waterfront recovers from this for the sake of not only Stonington, this fishery, but Maine's fishery," she said.
The town has been working to prepare for the realities of climate change for years, doing sea level rise surveys and applying for grants for local projects, but this flooding was beyond predictions.
That raises questions of how to rebuild and repair in a ways that enhance resilience against future storms. And Nelson says that will require state and federal support.
"Hopefully this is a wake up call for everybody," Nelson said. "And the state will take on a greater sense of urgency about how to address climate change and how to get ready for climate change."
But residents aren't waiting on state officials, already cleaning up and finding ways to rebuild stronger, and keep fishing operations running in the meantime.
