Working Waterfront
Inventory Report & Template
As we support municipalities in their efforts to incorporate working waterfronts into town planning efforts, we have found a strong need for a standardized data collection process.
Gentrification in Maine’s quintessential coastal communities has intensified in the last few years. This has increased pressure on the working waterfront at a faster pace than many towns can keep up with, adapt to, and plan for.
In order to preserve the working waterfront and its related culture and dependent industries, especially commercial fishing, towns need to know what working waterfront infrastructure exists in their community.
We developed a data collection process and accompanying template for communities to inventory their working waterfront. By completing this inventory, towns can collect data on their working waterfront infrastructure and the local economic impact of fisheries and aquaculture using an accessible, step-by-step approach. The report helps communities understand their current working waterfronts, and provides the tools to monitor, preserve, and invest in working waterfront for future generations.
“Without historical working waterfront infrastructure or the potential for new infrastructure, what is a very difficult job, physically and financially, becomes increasingly difficult, if not impossible.”
Hugh Bowen, Freeport Commercial Fisherman
“The working waterfront inventory template will help Maine’s coastal communities take stock of their working waterfronts and plan for the future. The template gives communities the flexibility to focus on their needs while also enabling similar data collection efforts across Maine’s coast.”
Melissa Britsch, Senior Planner,
Maine Coastal Program
How to Get Started
1. Download the report/full inventory template, which includes includes information about why a municipality should complete an inventory, a checklist of how to prepare before starting the inventory, and instructions on how to fill out the inventory tables.
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2. Download a blank fillable inventory template, available for Word or Excel.
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3. Access supplemental data, including the most recent fishing and self-employment data available for Maine towns and counties, for select data points and measurement in the inventory tables:
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NOAA data
NOAA federal fishing permits (2025)
NOAA federal dealer permits (2025)
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NOAA Office of Coastal Management data
NOAA marine resource economy self employment data by County (2019)
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Maine DMR data
Maine DMR 2023-2024 state fishing/harvester licenses (2023-2024)
Maine DMR state lobster licenses (2023-2024)
Maine DMR state fishing/harvester license data by town (2022)
Maine DMR state dealer license data by town (2022)
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The above links include public data that can be downloaded from the Department of Marine Resources (Maine) or NOAA websites, according to the instructions contained in the working waterfront inventory tables.
More comprehensive data is available if you download or request data directly from DMR or NOAA, as the authors omitted certain personal information outside the scope of the inventory.
New or updated data files will be added as they become available.
*As of February 2025, the NOAA Social Indicators for Coastal Communities, which were a major component of Section F of the inventory, are no longer available. Fillable inventory templates have been updated to exclude Section F until the data becomes available again.
We are here to help!​
Contact us if you have any questions about the inventory process (in your town) or with feedback to help us make this tool more useful.
