Coastal Conversations | WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives

Host: Galen Koch Production Support and Advising: Natalie Springuel Theme Music: Paul Anderson – A Following Sea All other music from Cueshop.com Coastal Conversations: Conversations with people who live, work, and play on the Maine coast. Ocean chemistry, tracking changes in abiotic factors, Ocean Data Network, deployable data tracking equipment, offshore vs inshore data. Guest/s: Matt Tarpey – Cofounder/CEO of Marine Solar Technologies. Cooper Van Vranken – Founder/CEO of Ocean Data Network. Jack Carroll – Operations and Technical Development for Ocean Data Network. FMI: marinesolartechnologies.com/ oceandata.net/ About the hosts: Natalie Springuel has hosted Coastal Conversation’s since 2015, with support from the University of Maine Sea Grant where she has served as a marine extension associate for 20 years. In 2019, Springuel received an award for Public Affairs programming from the Maine Association of Broadcasters for the Coastal Conversations show called “Portland’s Working Waterfront.” Springuel is passionate about translating science, sharing stories, and offering a platform for multiple voices to weigh in on complex coastal and ocean issues. She has recently enrolled in audio production training at Maine Media Workshop to dive deeper into making great community radio.

The post Coastal Conversations 10/23/26: Innovations In Data first appeared on WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives.

Host: Galen Koch Production Support and Advising: Natalie Springuel Theme Music: Paul Anderson – A Following Sea All other music from Cueshop.com Coastal Conversations: Conversations with people who live, work, and play on the Maine coast. Listeners will learn about the process it takes to get lobster from bait to plate and what the carbon footprint associated with that process is. Listeners will here from folks at Luke’s Lobster and the Island Institute and the research they conducted to calculate the carbon footprint of a lobster. Guest/s: Patrick Arnold – New England Ocean Cluster. Ben Conniff – Co founder and chief innovation officer at Luke’s lobster. Sam Feldman – Community Development Officer at Island Institute. FMI: lukeslobster.com/? www.newenglandoceancluster.com/ www.islandinstitute.org/ About the hosts: Natalie Springuel has hosted Coastal Conversation’s since 2015, with support from the University of Maine Sea Grant where she has served as a marine extension associate for 20 years. In 2019, Springuel received an award for Public Affairs programming from the Maine Association of Broadcasters for the Coastal Conversations show called “Portland’s Working Waterfront.” Springuel is passionate about translating science, sharing stories, and offering a platform for multiple voices to weigh in on complex coastal and ocean issues. She has recently enrolled in audio production training at Maine Media Workshop to dive deeper into making great community radio.

The post Coastal Conversations 9/25/26: Innovations In The Supply Chain first appeared on WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives.

Host: Galen Koch Production Support and Advising: Natalie Springuel Theme Music: Paul Anderson – A Following Sea All other music from Cueshop.com Coastal Conversations: Conversations with people who live, work, and play on the Maine coast. Imagine a construction crew that can’t move, takes no lunch break, and still somehow gets the job done. Meet the oyster. Oysters are native to Maine, and throughout history ranging from 30,000 years ago to present day, they’ve had unique experiences on our coast. We used to have huge, complex living ecosystems known as oyster reefs that inhabited our coast, providing water quality benefits, habitat for a wide variety of marine organisms, and coastal erosion mitigation. For the last thousand years, those benefits from wild populations of oysters have been absent, but with the help of the Basin Oyster Project, the coastal ecology of Maine is slowly being brought back to what it once was thousands of years ago. This is Keegan Claunch, assistant producer for Coastal Conversations and student at College of the Atlantic. Coastal Conversations is supported by Maine Sea Grant in partnership with the Schoodic Institute and The First Coast. Guest/s: Sarah Risley – PhD Graduate from UMaine Sarah Zuidema – Bar Harbor Oyster Company Facilities Manager, Marine Biologist Dot Kelly – Basin Oyster Project participant, Phippsburg Conservation Commission member FMI: The Basin Oyster Project – northeastsaltwater.com/basin-oyster-project Bar harbor Oyster Company – www.barharboroysterco.com/ About the hosts: Natalie Springuel has hosted Coastal Conversation’s since 2015, with support from the University of Maine Sea Grant where she has served as a marine extension associate for 20 years. In 2019, Springuel received an award for Public Affairs programming from the Maine Association of Broadcasters for the Coastal Conversations show called “Portland’s Working Waterfront.” Springuel is passionate about translating science, sharing stories, and offering a platform for multiple voices to weigh in on complex coastal and ocean issues. She has recently enrolled in audio production training at Maine Media Workshop to dive deeper into making great community radio.

The post Coastal Conversations 8/28/26: Rebuilding Native Oyster Reefs first appeared on WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives.

Host: Galen Koch Editorial Help: Natalie Springuel Theme Music: Paul Anderson – A Following Sea All other music from Cueshop.com Coastal Conversations: Conversations with people who live, work, and play on the Maine coast, hosted by the University of Maine Sea Grant Program. In this episode, we’ll hear from four entrepreneurs, Patrick and Amber of Marin Skincare, and Inga Potter and Krista Rosen of Cold Current Kelp. These business owners are rethinking the uses for two of Maine’s prominent marine species – lobster and kelp – and, in the process, they’re creating markets that go beyond seafood. We’ll learn how they built these businesses from the ground-up and how they are contributing to innovations in Maine’s Blue Economy. Guest/s: Inga Potter Krista Rosen Patrick Amber of Marine Skincare FMI: www.marinskincare.com coldcurrentkelp.com About the hosts: Natalie Springuel has hosted Coastal Conversation’s since 2015, with support from the University of Maine Sea Grant where she has served as a marine extension associate for 20 years. In 2019, Springuel received an award for Public Affairs programming from the Maine Association of Broadcasters for the Coastal Conversations show called “Portland’s Working Waterfront.” Springuel is passionate about translating science, sharing stories, and offering a platform for multiple voices to weigh in on complex coastal and ocean issues. She has recently enrolled in audio production training at Maine Media Workshop to dive deeper into making great community radio.

The post Coastal Conversations 6/26/26: Innovation In Uses first appeared on WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives.

Host: Julia Rush Editorial Help: Natalie Springuel Theme Music: Paul Anderson – A Following Sea Coastal Conversations: Conversations with people who live, work, and play on the Maine coast, hosted by the University of Maine Sea Grant Program. Ecology, natural history, scientific research, forest surveys. Guest/s: Gillian Audier. Camilla Seirup. Dr. Ron Davis. FMI: Sea to Trees – Season 4, episode 3 schoodicinstitute.org/sea-to-trees-season-4-episode-3/ About the hosts: Natalie Springuel has hosted Coastal Conversation’s since 2015, with support from the University of Maine Sea Grant where she has served as a marine extension associate for 20 years. In 2019, Springuel received an award for Public Affairs programming from the Maine Association of Broadcasters for the Coastal Conversations show called “Portland’s Working Waterfront.” Springuel is passionate about translating science, sharing stories, and offering a platform for multiple voices to weigh in on complex coastal and ocean issues. She has recently enrolled in audio production training at Maine Media Workshop to dive deeper into making great community radio.

The post Coastal Conversations 5/22/26: The Coastal Spruce Fir Forest first appeared on WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives.

Host: Julia Rush Editorial Help: Natalie Springuel Theme Music: Paul Anderson – A Following Sea Coastal Conversations: Conversations with people who live, work, and play on the Maine coast, hosted by the University of Maine Sea Grant Program. Ecology, restoration, scientific research. Guest/s: Amina Wilson. Dr. Chris Nadeau. Lauren Knierim. FMI: Sea to Trees – Season 4, episode 2 – schoodicinstitute.org/sea-to-trees-season-4-episode-2/ About the hosts: Natalie Springuel has hosted Coastal Conversation’s since 2015, with support from the University of Maine Sea Grant where she has served as a marine extension associate for 20 years. In 2019, Springuel received an award for Public Affairs programming from the Maine Association of Broadcasters for the Coastal Conversations show called “Portland’s Working Waterfront.” Springuel is passionate about translating science, sharing stories, and offering a platform for multiple voices to weigh in on complex coastal and ocean issues. She has recently enrolled in audio production training at Maine Media Workshop to dive deeper into making great community radio.

The post Coastal Conversations 4/24/26: Place-based Science: The Mountain Summit first appeared on WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives.

Host: Julia Rush Editorial Help: Natalie Springuel Theme Music: Paul Anderson – A Following Sea Coastal Conversations: Conversations with people who live, work, and play on the Maine coast, hosted by the University of Maine Sea Grant Program. Ecology, natural history, Indigenous ecology, scientific research. Guest/s: Dr. Suzanne Greenlaw. Lauren Gibson. Dr. Chris Nadeau. FMI: Sea to Trees – Season 4, episode 1 – schoodicinstitute.org/sea-to-trees-season-4-episode-1/ About the hosts: Natalie Springuel has hosted Coastal Conversation’s since 2015, with support from the University of Maine Sea Grant where she has served as a marine extension associate for 20 years. In 2019, Springuel received an award for Public Affairs programming from the Maine Association of Broadcasters for the Coastal Conversations show called “Portland’s Working Waterfront.” Springuel is passionate about translating science, sharing stories, and offering a platform for multiple voices to weigh in on complex coastal and ocean issues. She has recently enrolled in audio production training at Maine Media Workshop to dive deeper into making great community radio.

The post Coastal Conversations 3/13/26: Place-Based Science: The Freshwater Wetland first appeared on WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives.

Host: Galen Koch Editorial Help: Natalie Springuel Theme Music: Paul Anderson – A Following Sea Most of the music in the episode is by cue-shop.com. Coastal Conversations: Conversations with people who live, work, and play on the Maine coast, hosted by the University of Maine Sea Grant Program. Abbey Barrows and Ben Jackson, owner and operators of Deer Isle Oyster Company bought their farm that came with an array of equipment all made out of plastic. Abby, being a marine researcher that focuses on mitigating microplastics in our coastal ecosystems, knew there had to be a different way of farming oysters while reducing their plastic footprint. With collaboration from other people with similar interests and passions, listen in to hear about how they are fabricating their own path to a plastic-free business. Guest/s: Abbey Barrows – Owner and operator of Deer Isle Oyster Company. Ben Jackson – Employee at Deer Isle Oyster Company. Katie Weiler – Founder and President of Viable Gear. FMI: Deer Isle Oyster Company – www.deerisleoysterco.com/ Viable Gear – viablegear.com/ Shaw Institute, Blue Hill – shawinstitute.org About the hosts: Natalie Springuel has hosted Coastal Conversation’s since 2015, with support from the University of Maine Sea Grant where she has served as a marine extension associate for 20 years. In 2019, Springuel received an award for Public Affairs programming from the Maine Association of Broadcasters for the Coastal Conversations show called “Portland’s Working Waterfront.” Springuel is passionate about translating science, sharing stories, and offering a platform for multiple voices to weigh in on complex coastal and ocean issues. She has recently enrolled in audio production training at Maine Media Workshop to dive deeper into making great community radio.

The post Coastal Conversations 2/27/26: Innovations In Materials first appeared on WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives.

Host: Keegan Claunch, assistant producer Editorial Help: Natalie Springuel Music: Paul Anderson – A Following Sea Coastal Conversations: Conversations with people who live, work, and play on the Maine coast, hosted by the University of Maine Sea Grant Program. Working waterfront, in the winter, how it functions, its role to the island, coastal resiliency. Guest/s: Richard Howland – Lobsterman at Little Cranberry Lobster Coop. Amy Palmer – Little Cranberry Lobster Coop office manager. FMI: littlecranberrylobster.com/ About the hosts: Natalie Springuel has hosted Coastal Conversation’s since 2015, with support from the University of Maine Sea Grant where she has served as a marine extension associate for 20 years. In 2019, Springuel received an award for Public Affairs programming from the Maine Association of Broadcasters for the Coastal Conversations show called “Portland’s Working Waterfront.” Springuel is passionate about translating science, sharing stories, and offering a platform for multiple voices to weigh in on complex coastal and ocean issues. She has recently enrolled in audio production training at Maine Media Workshop to dive deeper into making great community radio.

The post Coastal Conversations 1/23/26: Cranberry Isles Wintertime Working Waterfront first appeared on WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives.

Host: Galen Koch Editorial Help: Camden Hunt, Olivia Jolley, and Keegan Claunch Most of the music in this episode is by Cue Shop Coastal Conversations: Conversations with people who live, work, and play on the Maine coast, hosted by the University of Maine Sea Grant Program. Forms of sustainable energy. Resilience in Island communities. Economics and infrastructure of sustainable energy. Guest/s: Bruce Fernald – Lobsterman from Islesford Jamie Cook, Lia Morris – Senior Community Development officers, Island Institute Danny Fernald – Bruce’s Brother, Year round Islesford resident FMI: To view Versant’s connectivity maps, go to vpcapmap.cliffhanger-solutions.com/ For more information about the lobster co-op, go to littlecranberrylobster.com/ From the Sea Up is made possible by the Fund for Maine Islands through a partnership between Island Institute, College of the Atlantic, Maine Sea Grant, and the First Coast. To hear past episodes and for more information visit www.islandinstitute.org/podcast About the hosts: Natalie Springuel has hosted Coastal Conversation’s since 2015, with support from the University of Maine Sea Grant where she has served as a marine extension associate for 20 years. In 2019, Springuel received an award for Public Affairs programming from the Maine Association of Broadcasters for the Coastal Conversations show called “Portland’s Working Waterfront.” Springuel is passionate about translating science, sharing stories, and offering a platform for multiple voices to weigh in on complex coastal and ocean issues. She has recently enrolled in audio production training at Maine Media Workshop to dive deeper into making great community radio.

The post Coastal Conversations 12/26/25: Innovations in Energy first appeared on WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives.