A New Skill-Building Series Launched for Maine Women in Aquaculture
January 3nd, 2024 – The Maine Aquaculture Hub today opened applications for a new aquaculture training series for active and aspiring aquaculturists who self-identify as women or nonbinary. This 2024 Women in Aquaculture series is hosted in partnership with the Aquaculture in Shared Waters training program, which has helped commercial fishermen and farmers start and improve their aquaculture businesses in Maine for over a decade. The series focuses on targeted skills for women on the water, drawing directly from emerging social science research on the training needs for women in aquaculture. By empowering underrepresented aquaculturists to build skills and meaningful connections, the Women in Aquaculture series aims to foster greater diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in Maine’s aquaculture sector.
Maine Aquaculture Association Releases New Seaweed Benchmarking Report
August 30th, 2023 – The Maine Aquaculture Association (MAA) today announced the publication of a new report designed to help seaweed farmers build sustainable businesses. Released just in time for the Seagriculture USA 2023 Conference in Portland, Maine, the 2023 Maine Aquaculture Seaweed Benchmarking Report was developed by MAA Project Manager Christian Brayden and University of Maine Research Scientist Struan Coleman with support from FocusMaine. “Financial benchmarking tools allow farmers to see how their businesses measure up to others, which is critical for developing business plans, assessing risk, and securing investment,” said Brayden. “Not only will the Seaweed Benchmarking Report be beneficial for established farmers looking to scale or improve efficiency, but also for new and prospective farmers interested in launching seaweed businesses in Maine,” he continued. Maine currently leads the nation in farmed kelp, in part due to significant investments the MAA and partners have made in helping farmers build sustainable businesses.
Maine Aquaculture Association Releases New Financial Manual for Aquatic Farmers
August 1st, 2023 – The Maine Aquaculture Association (MAA) today announced the publication of a new tool to help aquaculture farmers finance their businesses. The Maine Aquaculture Financing Resources Manual, developed by MAA Project Manager Christian Brayden with support from FocusMaine, is an in-depth summary of all known financing resources available to Maine aquaculture producers. The manual notes that “financing an aquaculture business remains a challenging situation, but one that has become more attainable in the past five years” with an increase in the diversity of financing sources available to growers. “We are pleased to deliver this comprehensive resource to the Maine aquaculture community at a time when many small businesses are beginning to develop business plans to scale and sustain their operations,” said Brayden. “It has been wonderful to see the proliferation of so many institutions providing financial backing to these burgeoning Maine family businesses.”
Maine Paves the way for workforce growth in the state’s aquaculture sector with apprenticeship programs
July 10, 2023 – Maine now boasts the Nation’s only Shellfish and Seaweed Aquaculture Technician registered apprenticeship program, and a new state-certified aquaculture pre-apprenticeship program. These two experiential learning programs are intentionally connected to create a clear career pathway into Maine’s aquaculture sector. These programs will help address a critical workforce shortage faced by many aquaculture businesses, which has the potential to stunt the sector’s tremendous growth potential.
LOCAL FOOD BUSINESSES CELEBRATE MAINE’S 5TH ANNUAL SEAWEED WEEK
April 20th, 2023 – Maine’s 5th annual Seaweed Week kicks off today across the state, with more than 60 individual businesses including bars, restaurants, breweries, distilleries, and other artisans participating in the 10-day local food and beverage celebration. From today until April 30th, folks can enjoy kelp food, drinks, crafts and events – from burgers and beer, cheese and salads, to chocolates and craft cocktails – all featuring Maine seaweed at businesses across the state. Launched in 2019 by Heritage Seaweed and partners, Maine Seaweed Week was established to highlight new and exciting culinary uses for local seaweed, as well as the bounty of seaweed products coming out of Maine. “We wanted to create a fun, annual tradition that celebrates Maine’s spring kelp harvest and gets folks excited about trying seaweed – and nobody is better at that than Maine chefs, brewers, and makers,” said Jaclyn Robidoux, Seaweed Specialist with Maine Sea Grant.
FERMENTED, RAW, SMOKED, OR STEAMED: CELEBRATE THE HOLIDAYS WITH FARMED SEAFOOD FROM MAINE
December 7, 2022 – The Maine Aquaculture Association (MAA) today reminds us to thank a sea farmer this holiday season and celebrate the holidays with sustainably farmed seafood from Maine. Whether fermented, raw, smoked or steamed, serving farmed finfish, shellfish, and sea vegetables from Maine is a delicious and sustainable way to observe festivities while supporting generations of sea farmers who share Maine’s working waterfront with their commercial fishery colleagues. “Maine’s cold, clean waters are ideal for farming some of the freshest and most sustainable food in the world,” said Sebastian Belle, Executive Director, Maine Aquaculture Association. “This holiday season, we encourage people to consider where their seafood comes from to source locally and sustainably.”
MAINE AQUACULTURE ASSOCIATION BEGINNING FARMER AND RANCHER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM RECEIVES USDA NIFA GRANT TO CONTINUE TEACHING AND TRAINING BEGINNING SEA FARMERS IN MAINE
November 21st, 2022 – The Maine Aquaculture Association (MAA) today announced it has been awarded a 2022 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP) grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). Maine Aquaculture Association was one of 45 organizations and institutions across the country that teach and train beginning farmers awarded the prestigious, annual grant. USDA’s NIFA will invest over $24 million to train the next generation of U.S. farmers and ranchers.
FIRST AQUACULTURE APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM IN THE U.S. IS LAUNCHED BY MAINE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS
November 15th, 2022 – The Maine Aquaculture Association (MAA) and Gulf of Maine Research Institute (GMRI) today announced the launch of the first state-wide Aquaculture Apprenticeship Program in the U.S., which will provide on-farm training and education for six Maine high school graduates beginning in 2023. The program leverages partnerships with Maine aquaculture farms and is supported by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Other partners on the project include Educate Maine, the Maine Department of Labor, and Southern Maine Community College.
MAINE ORGANIZATIONS ARE HELPING FISHERMEN START AQUACULTURE FARMS
November 1st, 2022 – A group of aquaculture organizations in Maine today opened registration for a training program designed for fishermen to learn how to farm seafood. Maine’s vibrant working waterfront, including aquaculture, builds resilience for generations of Maine’s fishing families, who have long navigated the waters to feed our community. Hosted by Coastal Enterprises, Inc. (CEI), Maine Aquaculture Association (MAA), Maine Aquaculture Innovation Center (MAIC), and Maine Sea Grant (MSG), the Aquaculture in Shared Waters training program focuses on the cultivation of commercially valuable species including oysters, mussels, scallops, and kelp. Students learn from leading industry, regulatory, and scientific experts on fundamental topics like site selection, permitting, animal husbandry, equipment, business planning, financing, marketing, community relations, and more.
Maine Aquaculture Association Observes National Seafood Month by Celebrating Crop and Economic Diversity in Maine Aquaculture, Honoring Sea Farming Families Who Produce It
October 11th, 2022 – The Maine Aquaculture Association (MAA) today announced plans to observe National Seafood Month by celebrating the diversity in Maine seafood and honoring generations of sea farming families who produce it. “Maine’s cold, clean waters are ideal for farming some of the freshest and most sustainable food in the world,” said Sebastian Belle, Executive Director, Maine Aquaculture Association. “This October, we’re proud to celebrate National Seafood Month by honoring generations of Maine’s sea farmers who produce it. Now, more than ever, Maine’s working waterfront needs to unite; let’s all come together to celebrate seafood,” continued Belle.
MAINE AQUACULTURE ASSOCIATION CONTRIBUTES $5K TO MAINE LOBSTERMEN’S ASSOCIATION’S LEGAL DEFENSE FUND
April 5th, 2022 – The Maine Aquaculture Association (MAA) today announced the donation of $5,000 to the Maine Lobstermen’s Association’s (MLA) legal defense fund to help them challenge existential threats to the lobster fishery. “The Maine lobster industry is vital to the state’s working waterfronts, coastal communities, and the Maine brand,” said Sebastian Belle, Executive Director of the MAA. “As fellow seafood harvesters, we stand in solidarity with our working waterfront colleagues to support them in their fight for fair and effective regulations.”
Executive Director of Maine Aquaculture Association Tapped for National Role
April 4th, 2022 – The Maine Aquaculture Association (MAA), a private non-profit trade association representing Maine shellfish, fin fish and seaweed farmers, today announced the election of Sebastian Belle, executive director, Maine Aquaculture Association, as president of the board of directors, National Aquaculture Association (NAA) for the 2022 term. A longtime leader in aquaculture, Belle has dedicated his career to demonstrating global leadership in aquaculture and advocating for a sustainable working waterfront. Since 1984, Belle has established best practices and advised commercial aquaculture ventures around the world, bridging private and public sectors. Prior to joining the MAA, Mr. Belle was the state aquaculture coordinator, working for the Maine Department of Marine Resources. In addition to his new board position, Mr. Belle serves on NOAA’s Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee and on the board of directors of the Maine Fishermen’s Forum, The Island Institute, and The Maine Aquaculture Innovation Center. Mr. Belle is also vice president of the International Salmon Farmers Association.
Maine Aquaculture Association Releases Innovative Seafood Distribution Guide
March 1st, 2022 – The Maine Aquaculture Association (MAA) today released the first of its kind Maine Aquaculture Distribution Mapping Manual, a guide which helps sea farmers compare and contrast the existing and potential distribution channels for their products to best decide how to get them to market. U.S. consumer demand for seafood is high. Retail seafood sales in the U.S. were up 35% to $7 billion in 2020 compared to 2019, according to market research company Information Resources, Inc. With roughly 80% of all seafood being consumed in restaurants nationally, Maine aquaculture producers suffered severe loss of market during the early days of the pandemic when restaurants closed their doors. Alternative distribution methods including direct-to-consumer sales gained in popularity and continue to serve as an important channel.
New Ten-year Roadmap Released as Guide to Future of Maine’s Aquaculture Sector
January 25, 2022 – On behalf of the Maine Aquaculture Hub, Maine Sea Grant and the Maine Aquaculture Association today released The Maine Aquaculture Roadmap, 2022-2032, a ten-year plan that proposes four major goals and identifies over $15 million in estimated resources needed to strengthen Maine’s aquaculture sector and working waterfronts over the next decade. Maine’s aquaculture sector has been steadily growing in recent years, and its total economic impact has nearly tripled – from $50 million in 2007 to $137 million in 2014 – according to the latest Maine Aquaculture Economic Impact Report. Sustainable aquaculture has tremendous potential to bolster our coastal economy, providing good jobs, local food security, and diversification opportunities for working waterfront families.
NEW documentary films capture the lives of Maine’s sea farmers
January 29th, 2021 – A new series of short documentary films featuring some of Maine’s sea farmers has been released online. The films are the latest installment of the Maine Coast Harvest series (est. 2018), and are available for the public to view on the Maine Coast Harvest website. This latest body of work, filmed during the summer and fall of 2020, comprises three short films.
GIVE MAINE SEAFOOD: A NEW GIFT-GIVING GUIDE FOR EVERY OCCASION
December 7th, 2020 – This holiday season, four local organizations and businesses partner to promote Maine seafood. The Maine Aquaculture Association, Downeast Dayboat, Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association, and Aragosta Mama have partnered to create GiveMaineSeafood.com, a gift-giving guide that helps shoppers find and ship Maine seafood and related gifts for loved ones. With retail seafood sales on the rise, and increased interest among consumers to shop local and support small businesses, this holiday season is the perfect opportunity for consumers to buy and eat more Maine seafood.
Industry Organizations Partner to Promote #EatMaineSeafood Social Media Campaign
July 29th, 2020 – The Maine Aquaculture Association (MAA) and Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association (MCFA) are collaborating on an effort to encourage seafood businesses, industry organizations, restaurants, and consumers to utilize the hashtag #EatMaineSeafood across social media platforms. A hashtag is a word or phrase preceded by a hash sign (#), used on social media websites and applications to identify messages on a specific topic. It categorizes posts on social media like Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. People can follow a hashtag to see all the posts that are sorted under that hashtag. A hashtag helps to elevate a common message, and its success can be measured via user-engagement.
