In Hot Water: A Lobster Tale (Gillis 2020)

This thesis is a speculative form of survival through adaptation for both humans and lobsters in the rural, coastal site of Arisaig, Nova Scotia. By hybridizing buildings, infrastructure, and landscape that support the industries of lobster fishing and tourism, the symbiotic relationship between humans and lobsters becomes apparent, through cycles of seasons, lobster growth, and human activity. What does it look like if these cycles are adapted due to rising water temperatures as a result of climate change? How do we adapt to enable survival of lobsters, and lobster fishing? Fisheries, tourism, and culture are separate, yet interconnected elements of rural coastal life, where industry not only is economic, but also ingrained in the culture of the place. This triad forms the basis of investigation of this thesis. The result is a synthesis of layers of interconnectivity of industries and species that work together to nurture survival of each other.