Beals, native Robert W. Alley Sr., the incumbent candidate for the Maine House, District 138 is seeking re-election. The district includes the towns of Beals, Jonesport, Jonesboro, Addison, Columbia, Columbia Falls, Cherryfield, Harrington,Marshfield, Milbridge and Whitneyville. A lifelong fisherman and U S Navy Veteran, he also taught in several local schools and was principal of the Jonesport Elementary School.  

Alley has used his experience as a fisherman to strengthen the local fishery for future generations.  Since 1997 Alley has chaired Beals' Shellfish Conservation Committee.  He has been directly involved in a variety of conservation efforts including reseeding softshell clams and research on the local scallop fishery.  In these efforts, Alley worked closely with UMM Marine Biology Prof. Brian Beal at the Down East Institute (DEI) for Applied Marine Research on Great Wass Island.  Most recently, Prof. Beal enlisted Alley and others in supplying seed lobster roe which were raised at DEI until they reached a size large enough to be released into the ocean.

Alley has served on fisheries administrative committees, including the Maine Lobster Zone Council from 2009 to 2012, and the federal Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Council, for which he was an alternate for three years. 


And in the interest of promoting community spirit, he chaired the World’s Fastest Lobster Boat races in Moosabec Reach for nine years.

Alley graduated from Beals High School in 1966 when he enlisted in the navy and served a tour in Vietnam. Though he mustered out in 1972, he re-enlisted in the naval reserves two years later and retired in 1996. He holds a U.S. Coast Guard Master Captain’s license for vessels up to 100 tons.

In 1977 he earned a B.S. in education from the University of Maine at Machias, and a degree in administration from University of Maine - Orono and also from Thomas College.  Alley taught in Machias, Machiasport and Addison; he was principal at Jonesport Elementary School from 2007 to 2011. 


He is a member of VFW posts in Harrington and Washington, D. C., the Elks, Knights of Pythias, and the Jonesport Masonic Lodge.

Alley has been married to Hazel (Beale) Alley for 46 years. They have three grown children—Bridgette Beal of Beals, Robert Alley Jr. of Addison, and Jeffrey Alley of Jonesport—five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

If elected, Alley aspires to bring his expertise to the Marine Resources Committee. He is also concerned with the future of the cranberry and blueberry industries, boatbuilding and logging. He says he is running to “keep the Downeast way of life going and to try to make it better.”