A prepared workforce—in action!
In early May, I had the unique opportunity to participate in Aquaculture Bootcamp on the campus of the Darling Marine Center. Bootcamp is a part of the Aquaculture in Shared Waters program, a collaboration between Maine Sea Grant, Aquaculture Innovation Center, Maine Aquaculture Association, and the Aquaculture Research Institute, with additional support from CEI and the University of Maine School of Marine Sciences. Bootcamp lasts for five consecutive days at the beginning of the growing season—great for new sea farmers entering the sector. It is free to participants and worth every moment spent learning in classrooms, outdoors, and on the water.
Working for Maine Aquaculture Association means a lot of time spent on boats, often for a whole work day on an active farm. Admittedly, I had never properly learned how to operate a boat or use any rudimentary maritime skills, and Aquaculture Bootcamp taught me the basics: driving a boat, tying knots, splicing line, mooring designs, safety on the water, basic biology, navigation, and more. Instructors from diverse backgrounds taught the lessons including boat captains, shellfish farmers, and gear specialists.
The bootcamp crew in Clark's Cove.
A skilled workforce is critical to a hands-on industry like aquaculture, and thanks to support from educational institutions and nonprofits, Maine’s sea farming businesses benefit from a ready cohort of passionate workers prepared to use their skills to bring fresh delicious Maine seafood to our plates. And personally, I’m grateful that I finally know how to tie a bowline knot!
-Jack Sullivan, Maine Aquaculture Association