Aquaculture in Shared Waters course continues to offer opportunities for working waterfront diversification through aquaculture.

Commercial fishermen and members of fishing families who are interested in diversifying their incomes are invited to participate in an aquaculture training course offered by University of Maine Sea Grant and Cooperative Extension, Maine Aquaculture Association, Coastal Enterprises, Inc., and Maine Aquaculture Innovation Center. Small-scale aquaculture of shellfish and seaweed presents an opportunity for Maine fishermen and other coastal residents to continue to work on the water and maintain a livelihood while producing quality local seafood.

An introductory meeting about the program is planned for Tuesday, February 7^th, at 6:30pm, to be held at the Bryant E. Moore Center, 5 General Moore Way, in Ellsworth. Program coordinators and instructors will review the curriculum and benefits to participants, including technical information needed to run a successful aquaculture operation. Topics covered include site selection, equipment and husbandry methods, regulation and permitting, farm operations, marketing, working with tourism and culinary sectors, and business and financial management. Potential participants are encouraged to attend the informational meeting to learn more about the program and how they may enroll in this exciting and free opportunity. 

Aquaculture in Shared Waters, initiated in 2013 with funding from NOAA Sea Grant, is coordinated by Maine Sea Grant and University of Maine Cooperative Extension. The name, Aquaculture in Shared Waters, reflects the fact that aquaculture is but one of the many diverse uses of Maine’s coastline, and that the best results are achieved when sites are chosen carefully, and with due consideration of local perspectives and conditions.

For more information about this meeting or the AQSW program, please contact:

Dana Morse: 207.563.8186, dana.morse@maine.edu

or Chris Bartlett: 207.853.0967, cbartlett@maine.edu