Maine Aquaculture Association

We are pleased to announce that applications are open for the Aquaculture Experiential Opportunities for Undergraduate Students (AquEOUS) Fellowship, an USDA Research and Extension Experience for Undergraduates (REEU) at the University of Maine's Wabanaki Center and Aquaculture Research Institute (ARI) and in collaboration with Wabanaki Youth in Science. This unique fellowship offers undergraduate students from around the nation an opportunity to use indigenous science and STEM concepts to solve real-world problems in aquaculture at the University of Maine’s world class aquaculture facilities. Mentorship will be provided by interdisciplinary faculty and indigenous knowledge keepers. Through this paid fellowship, students will have an array of research foci from which to choose. They will work on hands-on projects using concepts learned from their mentors as well as seminars, field trips, and workshops addressing indigenous knowledge, applied aquaculture science and science communications. Room and board are provided at the Darling Marine Center in Walpole, ME for 10 weeks. We invite students and faculty to learn more about the Aquaculture Experiential Opportunities for Undergraduate Students (AquEOUS) Fellowship and apply by February 15th. Please feel free to share with anyone who may be interested in this unique program. If you have any questions or need additional information, please do not hesitate to contact us directly at ari@maine.edu. Link to AquEOUS application page: https://lnkd.in/e3p-2SQx

📣 Tastemakers applications are open! 📣 CEI (Coastal Enterprises, Inc.) in partnership with FocusMaine is offering the Tastemakers Initiative for a seventh time. Applications are open to Maine food businesses, including agriculture, aquaculture or fishery businesses, and companies that source from or distribute food from Maine agriculture, aquaculture, or fisheries. Grants of up to $25,000 will be awarded through a competitive review process. The deadline to apply is Friday, January 31st, 2025, at 4:59 p.m. EST. CEI will host two webinars to answer questions on Monday, January 13th at 1 p.m. & Monday, January 22nd at 10 a.m. Zoom links will be posted on the Tastemakers webpage: https://lnkd.in/gsDjN2t8 #fundingopportunity #grants #foodeconomy #maine #applicationsopen #agriculture #aquaculture #fisheries #smallbusiness #innovation #webinar

Not sure what to get your loved ones this holiday season? Give the gift of Maine farmed seafood! Thank you to The Portland Press Herald for publishing our article highlighting how we should all support Maine sea farmers by gifting high quality, local seafood and seafood experiences to the people we love. Cheers! 🦪

New Release! Cultivating Prosperity: A Strategic Plan for Growing Maine’s Food Economy. 🥕🦪 Based on stakeholder input and robust economic research conducted by Camoin Associates and published by FocusMaine, this plan dives deep into the current landscape and charts an ambitious path forward for Maine’s agriculture, aquaculture, and value-added food and beverage production sectors—industries poised to drive job creation and revenue growth across the state. 🌱 See the full release and report at: https://lnkd.in/gfD67AxP #maine #food #foodeconomy #actionplan #partnerships #collaboration #agriculture #aquaculture

Thanks to USDA Rural Development, we are so happy to announce that we have received a Value Added Prodcuer Grant, which will allow us to work with several Maine-based professionals to advance CCK’s growth and impact. 🌊 A big thanks also to Maine Technology Institute for providing matching funds; to Jeff Frank at Island Institute for bringing this opportunity to our attention; and to Elaine Theriault-Currier, grant writer extraordinaire.

We're proud to be a partner of FocusMaine and are so grateful for their support of our work. We're looking forward to collaborating more with their other amazing partners and maximizing our impact for Maine! #greenjobs #aquaculture #buylocal #makeitmaine #foodeconomy #maineseafood

Food on the brain? Us too! 🍽️ From the land to the sea, the food sector is a key driver of Maine’s identity and its future. 🥕🦪 At FocusMaine, we’re proud to support the growth of Maine’s food economy. Our programs deliver the right resources at the right time, helping companies scale, innovate, and thrive. 🌱 Check out our 2018-2023 Impact Report to learn about our most impactful programs and hear from authentic Maine food producers who have participated in our programs. #maine #food #mainefood #foodeconomy #madeinmaine #shoplocal

At FocusMaine, our impact is powered by the partnerships we foster across Maine's vibrant food and bioscience support ecosystem. Together, we’re driving forward with strategies that strengthen Maine’s economy and create pathways for workforce development within these high-potential sectors and other cross-cutting ones. This progress is only possible thanks to our robust network of committed partners, each bringing unique strengths to our mission. Explore the 2018-2023 FocusMaine Impact Report to see how we, alongside our partners, are shaping high-potential sectors through innovative, effective programming that positions Maine for a sustainable, prosperous future. https://lnkd.in/gyVAtPgD #maine #foodeconomy #bioeconomy #workforcedevelopment #partnerships #focusmainepartners #impact #collaboration #network Maine Center for Entrepreneurs CEI (Coastal Enterprises, Inc.) Maine Aquaculture Association New England Ocean Cluster The Roux Institute at Northeastern University University of Maine SEAMaine - Maine Seafood Economic Accelerator Maine Department of Economic and Community Development BIOME (Bioscience Association of Maine) Educate Maine Live and Work in Maine The Jackson Laboratory Gulf of Maine Research Institute

Aquaculture Pioneers, a pre-apprenticeship program in partnership with Educate Maine, ran a full cohort of 15 pre-apprentices and Maine aquaculture farms and facilities from May – September 2024. Since 2022, the Aquaculture Pioneers Pre-Apprenticeship has served 40 pre-apprentices and 19 Maine aquaculture businesses. Michael Scannell was a Pre-Apprentice at Madeline Point Oyster in 2023. This year, he stayed on as an apprentice and hopes to open his own farm in the future, "Working as an Aquaculture Pioneer pre-apprentice, and now apprentice, has shown me that aquaculture is truly the future. I’d like to be a part of the booming movement because I believe it can save local commercial fishing communities as well as provide us with a more sustainable food source." #maine #aquaculture #sustainability #apprenticeship #workforcedevelopment

Calling all east coast oyster aquaculturists! We teamed up with NOAA Fisheries to create a nutrient removal calculator that provides a science-based estimate of how much nitrogen oyster farms remove from local waterways.  🦪 Generate your own report that can be used in the aquaculture permitting process → https://lnkd.in/eattUgfC  #Aquaculture #SeafoodMonth