Aquaculture

1. Develop new aquaculture opportunities.
2. Support inclusive and intentional aquaculture governance in Maine that is community-driven, supports a diversity of scales of business, and whose benefits are distributed in a way that promotes individual, household, and community well-being, now and in the future.

Quahog aquaculture:

• Intertidal quahog aquaculture – Quahog aquaculture is a major industry along the eastern seaboard, typically consisting of seed clams being grown under nets or in mesh bags in the intertidal. While this technique works in warmer waters, it has not been tested in areas that have sea ice in the winter, such as Maine. Previous work has shown a demand for locally grown small quahogs, and intertidal culture techniques could provide a low effort, cost-effective solution for shellfish harvesters and farmers who want to diversify.
• Subtidal quahog aquaculture – Growing quahogs subtidally on an existing oyster farm is a novel technique first developed by Jordan Kramer (Winnegance Oyster). Working in partnership with Kramer and several other oyster farmers, we tested the viability of this method across multiple sites and farms. We found that this is a viable technique for growing quahogs, but slow growth rates and gear fouling can make site selection an important consideration. This interactive cost-benefit tool, developed as part of our USDA SARE funded work, provides an estimate of the potential production costs and revenue generated for subtidal quahog aquaculture: insert link to excel spreadsheet

Aquaculture Collective

• Aquaculture is growing rapidly in Maine. While such growth represents a major socioeconomic opportunity, it also raises complex questions about the long-term trajectory of the sector and how aquaculture will create and sustain benefits for Maine’s residents. Manomet facilitates the Aquaculture Collective, comprised of organizations, individuals, and businesses with a shared interest in transparent and equitable aquaculture governance and sustainable growth grounded in community values. The purpose of the Collective is to contribute to an inclusive and intentional aquaculture governance process in Maine.

• Limited Purpose Aquaculture Workbook
• Manomet NOAA Georgetown Maine field trip to flats

Partners include aquaculture growers, shellfish harvesters and municipal shellfish programs in Casco Bay, Maine Center for Coastal Fisheries, Bates College, North American Marine Alliance (NAMA), Maine Sea Grant, Eros Oyster, Winnegance Oyster, Long Reach Oyster, Colby College, Gulf of Maine Research Institute, Town of Brunswick, Town of Harpswell, Sea Meadow Marine Foundation, Madeleine Point Oyster,

Funders: NOAA Saltonstall-Kennedy, USDA SARE, Maine Sea Grant, National Sea Grant, Maine Community Foundation, Robert and Patricia Switzer Foundation