Last summer I spent some time on Cobscook Bay, Maine where I had gone to play at a friend's wedding.  His family consisted of "old timers" born & raised on the Maine coast.  These people were full of sea tales, fishing lore, and stories of times past; when the ocean, their home, was full of "flounder as big as door mats" and scallops beneath their toes in every muddy step.  Times have changed for the ocean, and for these people.  I found one lonely scallop in the mud in front of their house and they were ecstatic to hear about it.  And glad to hear I had thrown it back.  The depletion of sea life is obvious here and most heartbreaking for the locals.  They formed a coalition to do something about it.  It is called The Rockweed Coalition.

Rockweed, also known as "kelp," is a large North Atlantic Seaweed where, acording to the legendary conservationist Rachael Carson, "all other life exists within its shelter."  The removal of rockweed equates to the removal of habitat, food, and shelter for over 150 species of marine birds, fish, plants and animals.  My friends in Maine, noticing the horrible impact of the removal of rockweed by commercial companies, started going door to door to raise awareness.The Rockweed Coalition was instrumental in the creation of a state law (2009) banning the commercial removal of rockweed for large sections of Cobscook Bay.  Marine biologists have concluded that Cobscook Bay is the most biodiverse area of the US eastern seaboard north of the tropics.  Please see their web site for more information:  www.rockweedcoalition.org.    If you would prefer to donate to the Coalition, you may do so directly at their web site.  

I also have started a campaign to raise money to make a new CD.  I am giving 20% of all funds generated to The Rockweed Coalition.  To pre-purchase CD's or to donate to this campaign, please click the link below.  Thank you all so much for being great people and doing great things!