Aquaculture in Shared Waters Fact Sheet: Site Selection

Site selection is the process of determining the optimum place for the sea farm. It’s a critical process, and will affect success - or failure. Crops grown on the wrong site may never do well, despite the best efforts of the farmer, and since obtaining a lease is usually a lengthy process, it’s not easy for a farmer to simply start up at a new site. The best approach is to do your homework thoroughly

2016 AQ Summit: Education Update by Dana Morse

A presentation highlighting aquaculture training opportunities in the State of Maine

Overwintering Eastern Oysters: Guidance for Small-scale Growers

Overwintering of Eastern Oysters provides guidance to small-scale oyster aquaculturists on options for successfully raising oysters through Maine\u27s long, cold winters. The document offers practical advice on overwintering locations, methods, and gear for the recreational oyster gardener

2016 AQ Summit: Scallop & Razor Clam Sub-sector Update by Dana Morse

This is an update on the current status and R&D needs of the scallop and razor clam aquaculture sub-sector in Maine, USA

Selectivity Tests with Knotless Mesh in Trawl Codends in the Northeast Groundfish Fishery

The selective properties of knotless twine have been of interest to fishermen, scientists and resource managers alike. Knotless twine holds appeal for some in northeast U.S. trawl fisheries, though its use is sometimes limited by high material costs. Ideally, knotless mesh enhances selection against undersized flatfish, while maintaining the catch of legal-sized individuals. This project, funded by the Northeast Consortium, examined knotless codend performance when fished in the diamond configuration. The specific objective was to evaluate the selective properties of knotless 6.5 (165.1 ml) mesh, in the codend of a bottom trawl, used in the groundfish fishery of the Gulf of Maine. A companion project, similarly funded by the Northeast Consortium, was conducted concurrently. This publication describes the project in brief, and provides some general pros and cons on the use of knotless twine

Aquaculture Situation and Outlook Report 2009: Maine

The Maine aquaculture industry is diverse, with a variety of marine and freshwater species raised. Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar) production dominates in terms of value and pounds harvested. The 2008 data from the Maine Department of Marine Resources (DMR) estimate over 19 million pounds produced with a value of $56.6 million. This figure is down from a high of over 36 million pounds in 2000. Shellfish production is dominated by the eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) and the blue mussel (Mytilus edulis); DMR 2008 figures estimate landed values of$2 million and $640K USD for these species respectively. A separate 2007 study estimated the total value of all aquaculture species in the state at roughly$30 million: $22 million for finfish (salmon, trout, and baitfish),$3 million for shellfish (oysters and mussels), $2 million for hatchery production (shellfish and finfish for restocking) and over$2 million for research and development (O\u27Hare, 2007). This indicates that salmon production more than doubled between 2007 and 2008, from over 8 million pounds to over 19 million, and the value rose in consequence. The increase in production is due to continued investment in salmon production as well as recovery from the drastic reductions that were caused by Infectious Salmon Anemia virus earlier in the decade. Now, effective management and biosecurity protocols are in place, and salmon production is back to where it was in 1996

Observations on the Expansion of a Relict Population of Eastern Oysters (Crassostrea virginica) in a Maine Estuary: Implications for Climate Change and Restoration

The Gulf of Maine has undergone dramatic physiographic and oceanographic changes over the last several millenia resulting in some unusual biogeographic consequences. One is that there are pockets of Virginian species, including Crassostra virginica (Eastern Oyster), that survive in isolated warm water pockets, usually at the heads of estuaries. These small and vulnerable populations need documentation, protection, and restoration in order to preserve their genetic characteristics and ecological services. In this contribution, we describe the circumstances whereby tidal restoration made available 2.5 linear km of new habitat area to the relict oyster population of the Marsh River, ME, the northernmost documented native oyster population in the United States. Oysters recruited to the new habitat quickly, demonstrating the restoration potential of isolated, relict populations. The resultant larger population size and areal extent should provide increased stability and survivability of the oyster and its associated community. These observations have implications for both the restoration potential of relict oyster populations and the consequences of climate change

Aquaculture in Shared Waters Fact Sheet: Husbandry

When people think of sea farming, it’s usually the husbandry part that they have in mind: tending the crop, working on the boat, etc. Husbandry is a rewarding part of the aquaculture process, and good husbandry is critical to success. Paired with strong financial management and sales and marketing, husbandry is where the rubber meets the road. Your goal as the farmer is very simple, but difficult to do well: Successful aquaculturists keep their animals and plants at optimum health. Another way to think about this is to keep the crop at minimum stress: low stress equals faster growth, improved survival, and maximum quality. Good farmers know their crop, their site, and their gear