Farrin, president of the Downeast Lobstermen's Assocation, stood next to a huge map at a press conference last week, showing all the lobster buying stations that once existed in the area. Held inside Hodgdon's Yachts' mammoth boat building facility in East Boothbay, the press conference was sponsored by Maine's Working Waterfront Coalition and organized by Coastal Enterprises, Inc. in Wiscasset.

There are four lobster buying stations left in Boothbay Harbor, three in Boothbay, and one in Southport, he said.

"That could all change overnight," he told a crowd of about 70 people.

Skyrocketing waterfront property values have contributed to the sell- off. If these small businesses continue to disappear, lobstermen could be left with only one or two lobster buying stations.

"If things keep going in the present direction, the working waterfront is going to be Maine's next endangered species," Farrin said.

"This would be a disastrous situation for the whole area," he said.

Formed in March of 2003 the purpose of the coalition is "to provide a platform for people to learn, and to share ideas about how to preserve and protect Maine's working waterfront." To do its job the coalition is looking at changing public policy, planning, public outreach, and investment.

"In February, we lost a chance to buy the last piece of working waterfront in East Boothbay," said Rachel Tibbets, a new member of the coalition who has been working with land trusts and fishermen to protect and promote the working waterfront in the Boothbay region.

"We raised about $800,000, but we had a shortfall. We estimate that in the next five years, we'll lose at least two more lobster buying stations," Tibbets said.

"After losing the fight to acquire the last lobster buying station in East Boothbay, and realizing that the state of Maine has no formula or agency (such as the Farm Bureau) to help, I felt it was extremely important to raise awareness of the plight of the working waterfront."

"Can you imagine Maine without a working waterfront? If we fail in the next 10 to 20 years, what is now working waterfront will be marinas, condos, motels and private residences."

One thing the coalition needs is a vehicle "to apply for funding," Tibbets said.

Boothbay Selectman Bruce McDonald talked about efforts to preserve the lobster buying station at Little River. With .47 acres of land, it was offered for sale for $1 million. Since 1981 there have been four owners. The most recent sale of the property, in 1999, was for $420,000.

Tibbets said they have asked for and received help from the Boothbay Region Land Trust in their efforts to buy Little River. However, she said, there is a pending sale of the facility, that is set to go through on July 30.

"The Contribution of Working Waterfronts to the Maine Economy," written by Charles S. Colgan, was presented at the conference. Colgan is a professor of Public Policy and Management at the Muskie School of Public Service at the University of Southern Maine.

According to Colgan, "the working waterfront contributes anywhere from $15 million to $168 million more per year to our gross state product than does coastal residential construction."

"In other words," Colgan wrote, "our working piers and wharves contribute almost two times more to the state's economy than would converting 500 coastal properties and building a $650,000 house on each one."

"The exact implications of the economic value of working waterfronts will have to be discovered on a town by town basis. What is critical is that governments at all levels make decisions about the shore in recognition of the continued vital economic role played by Maine's working waterfronts."

Elizabeth Sheehan, project director at CEI, said Colgan's study "is further evidence that private and public investment in Maine's working waterfront is smart economic development. Just one mile of Maine's working waterfront generates 1,160 jobs."

State Senator Dennis Damon, whose district covers 24 coastal towns, talked about how the formation of a group of state lawmakers called the Coastal Caucus is working to protect the working waterfront.

Damon said saving what's left of Maine's working waterfront "is as important to us as saving our way of life."

"I grew up in Northeast Harbor, and I remember years ago a fellow from Cape Cod, who had moved to our town, said to me, Dennis, this is all going to change.' He talked about how crowded the Cape had become. I couldn't imagine it happening in Maine.

"But I've seen the change as it creeps along the coast. No place is immune from it. If we don't actively intercede, we'll lose it."

State Representative Leila Percy, who represents Phippsburg, Georgetown, Arrowsic and Harpswell, urged people to "talk to your selectmen about affordable housing."

"Our sternmen can't afford to live in these communities anymore," she said.

Other state legislators who attended and spoke included Rep. Hannah Pingree of North Haven, and Rep. Stephen Bowen of Rockport.

Bill Card, representing U.S. Senator Susan Collins' office, praised Hodgdon Yachts "for continuing to adapt to Maine's changing economy."

Some of the stumbling blocks to preserving the working waterfront, listed in an earlier presentation, include: "There is no set formula for state or federal programs to help purchase working waterfront, as there are for farmlands and open spaces "A reluctance on the part of owners to wait for funding to be negotiated "Time to find funding."

Some of the proposed recommendations include "Involving property appraisers in the working waterfront process "A state mandate to preserve working waterfront with access to funding, similar to the farm bureau "Developing a mechanism to apply for funds"

The coalition's next meeting is set for September 14 at a location and time to be announced. For more information email Hugh Cowperthwaite at CEI, at hsc@ceimaine.org.