2007 Aug 9

Photograph by Barb Raynor/Courier

Maria Recchia holds authentic herring scale baskets that were handmade by Passamaquoddy natives fromPleasant Point, Me.The anti-LNG group Save Passamaquoddy Bay is selling baskets to raise money for its fight against proposed liquefied natural gas developments in Maine. The baskets, which are collector's items, have been stored in a warehouse for years and have never been used. They can be purchased from Save Passamaquoddy Bay in Canada and the U.S., or at the Ross Memorial Museum in St. Andrews.

Basket sales aid LNG fight

Save Passamaquoddy Bay selling herring scale baskets

By BARB RAYNER

ST. ANDREWS -- Save Passamaquoddy Bay is selling hand-crafted herring scale baskets as a fundraiser to help with legal costs in their fight against three proposed liquefied natural gas terminals in the bay.

The baskets, which were handcrafted around 1960 by Passamaquoddy basket weavers, were made for the sardine industry to collect and ship herring scales to factories in Eastport that made pearl essence used in nail polish and lipstick.

Herring scales are still sold locally for use in the cosmetic industry, but plastic baskets are now used instead of the original ash ones.

Save Passamaquoddy Bay/US has acquired 800 of the original scale baskets, which have never been used. They had been stored in a warehouse in Maine for decades. They are being sold for $125 each, Canadian or U.S. funds, and of that $95 goes to SPB. Each basket is unique. They have red or green markings on them to designate which pearl essence factory they were going to.

They can be purchased at the Ross Museum on King Street or Clarke House at 62 Prince Royal St.