Resources Database

All holders of aquaculture leases and LPA licenses are required to hold the Aquaculture Harvest License in order to harvest and sell product from their aquaculture sites, regardless of the species they grow. Commercial harvester's licenses now apply to only wild-harvest product.

The “Clam Kit” video series shares techniques developed at Downeast Institute to help municipal shellfish management programs enhance their softshell clam flats affordably and effectively. This video gives an overview of clam seed, DEI's hatchery, floating nursery trays, public stock enhancement, DMR lease or LPA, basic husbandry, overwintering, and more.

Webinar about research on scallop aquaculture production and economics including comparisons of nursery and growout gear: lantern nets, pearl nets, ear hanging, pocket nets, rigid trays, and adhesives; tissue sampling and testing for biotoxins such as saxitoxin and domoic acid; evaluation of fouling communities; surveys of producers to understand economic inputs and outputs such as capital, labor, and yield; environmental data matched with growth data to better understand good scallop-farming sites.

There are several ways in which birds interact with shellfish aquaculture. Birds can cause significant damage to crops through predation. Some birds fall into the category of protected resources and farmers have been variously accused of interfering with foraging, (either attracting or disturbing or both) and interfering with hunting. Birds can be attracted to aquaculture structures for roosting or foraging and their guano can impact water quality and trigger the need for growers to develop management plans under the National Shellfish Sanitation Plan.

The goal of these new requirements is to control the safety of molluscan shellfish for human consumption by preventing unnecessary growth of bacterial pathogens resulting from improper or ineffective cooling or from time to temperature abuse.

This non-profit organization helps export Northeast food and agricultural products overseas since 1973. They provides a wide range of services to facilitate trade between local food suppliers and importers around the world including: export education, self-paced training & expert advice, customized export assistance, new market analysis, international marketing &branding, facilitate meetings with international buyers, and a cost-share funding program.

This presentation, given by Dave C. Love, PhD, describes the current status of seafood consumption in the U.S. with a special focus on downstream stages of the supply chain (retail and food service) and their role in seafood availability, affordability, and nutrition.

The report provides information on commercially relevant aspects of oyster production gear associated with each equipment type employed including, BST™ Crosshatch, BST™ Longline, OysterGro, Rack and Bag, & Seapa™. They tracked oyster survival, growth by season, shell morphology, worm presence, and cost estimates.

Oyster aquaculture, like any agriculture operation, has inherent risks with perils beyond growers’ control. However, coastal waters present challenges for oyster farmers in the form of tropical storms and hurricanes.

This Internet-based training program was developed by the National Seafood HACCP Alliance—a group comprised of federal and state agencies with responsibility for seafood safety inspections, Sea Grant and university seafood science professionals, and seafood industry representatives. This training curriculum has two segments. Segment One is the Seafood HACCP Internet course. Those who complete the Internet course are eligible to attend a one-day Segment Two course taught by an Alliance instructor.

This project aimed to identify a gear coating that deters and mitigates predation by oyster drills (Urosalpinx cinerea) and starfish (Asterias rubens) on aquaculture eastern oysters. Identifying potential strategies to mitigate starfish and oyster drill snail predation on eastern oysters could increase oyster survival, which would increase yield and revenue.

In depth review of sea scallop biology, spat collection, nursery, grow out, gear, husbandry, site selection economic considerations and biotoxins/public health.

An overview of oyster production techniques including nursery and husbandry, common gear used, and oyster biology.

Kelp offers a promising way for fishermen to diversify their income streams in the lobster offseason, and it's also the newest seafood product GMRI verified under their Gulf of Maine Responsibly Harvested® label. The Gulf of Maine Responsibly Harvested® label is a promise that seafood hails from the clean, cool waters of the Gulf of Maine and the fishery or farm is managed in a way that contributes to the long-term health of the resource. The label empowers consumers to buy seafood they can feel good about.

This report is based on the research priorities survey conducted in June 2019 of Maine’s aquaculture community and is compared with surveys from 2012 and 2016 to look at trends. There have been some changes in the prioritization of needs since 2016, but many of the same research, development, and education (R&D&E) needs persist and remain unaddressed. As expected, there are different R&D&E priorities for different aquaculture sectors.

Summarizes some simple ways that holders of a valid Maine Aquaculture License can get their shellfish to market.

Reviews tide–flipped bags or baskets ability to produce a more attractive and commercially valuable Eastern oyster for the half–shell market. Found that flip-bag oysters grow slower but had a wider fan, deeper cup, heavier shell, yielded more meat, were less fouled, and required less labor to maintain.

Presentation on what was learned from Japan, the world leaders in scallop aquaculture, including lantern nets, spat bags, grading, washing, and recipes.