Maine Sea Grant by the Numbers
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We are honored to work with such amazing and supportive people to be in service of our coastal communities and ecosystems. Here are a few quotes from those working with and supporting Maine Sea Grant:
“A 1-month-old lobster—a thumbnail-sized lobster, which is something 10 years ago we knew very little about—now we know so much more and can make informed decisions based on the science Sea Grant supported. We were floored, and everyone was pretty devastated at the news.” – Curt Brown, Marine Biologist and lobsterman, Ready Seafood
“Every fishing town in Maine will be affected by this shutdown. Sea Grant’s work in Maine includes training young fishermen for opportunities to enter and lead our fishing industry, as well as listening and responding to the needs of our fishing communities. We hope this potentially disastrous decision for Maine’s fishing industry was an oversight that will be corrected swiftly so we can get back to the work of strengthening our industry with our partners at Maine Sea Grant.” – Gerry Cushman, a fourth-generation Maine fisherman, founding member of the Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association and a board member of the Maine Lobstermen’s Association
“I have had a great working relationship with Sea Grant for decades — as long as I’ve been working in the fishing industry. No other federal program has staff as invested in the success of our fishing industry than Sea Grant.” – Noah Oppenheim, coordinator for the Fishing Communities Coalition
“We are devastated and frankly shocked by this news, knowing the value proposition that Sea Grant offers for our coastal communities and fishing fleets. Maine’s Sea Grant programs actively collaborate with our fishing communities, businesses and schools to maximize the impact of federal funding and contribute to long-term economic viability in our coastal communities.” – Ben Martens, executive director of the Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association
“This isn’t a cut. This isn’t a cost. Maine Sea Grant is an investment in the future of Maine’s marine economy that has paid dividends for generations. The support Sea Grant provides up and down the coast ensures the next generation of harvesters, scientists, and stewards of the sea, whatever it will be, will be there. And that’s really key to Maine and key to our future as well.” – Curt Brown, Marine Biologist and lobsterman, Ready Seafood
“The work of Sea Grant staff over the last year in particular has been critical as we have rebuilt from last year’s storms. I collaborate with Maine Sea Grant on several projects and know that with loss of funding, our ability to respond to the type of storms we experienced last year will be increasingly challenging. I implore you to restore the funding.”
“I’ve had personal experience with technical and financial advice and support from Maine Sea Grant over the last 15 years. I can’t imagine a more appropriate use of government investment, especially given the rate of return on that investment.”
“We hope this potentially disastrous decision for Maine’s fishing industry was an oversight that will be corrected swiftly so we can get back to the work of strengthening our industry with our partners at Maine Sea Grant.” – Gerry Cushman
“Let this sink in as we think about the future of Maine’s economic success: During the 2023-2024 fiscal year, the Maine Sea Grant College Program’s work helped generate an estimated $23.5 million in economic benefits, created or supported more than 500 jobs, and created or sustained more than 300 businesses.”
“Maine Sea Grant is a mainstay of our marine science and commercial fishing and aquaculture industries, which are the backbone of Maine’s economy… These are real folks with whom I collaborate heavily and rely on for their professional expertise. I can’t do my job without them.”
“Sea Grant is so important for helping fishermen diversify their income by exploring aquaculture, in preserving our history and storytelling, and plunging into the future. They are a very important part of our community.”
“Sea Grant is the reason for my involvement working to get a master’s in marine policy, it is the program that has given me the ability to go from fisherman to student with the hopes of one day being able to return the gesture of care to the ecosystem and my community. This program is absolutely essential.”
“In my work I help students to choose fitting career paths. Many Maine students seek careers in maritime or marine-related fields. These programs help keep the doors open for many who wish to live, work, and raise families in Maine.”
“As a former Sea Grant Fellow and Republican Senate staffer, I can relay first-hand the critical importance of this program to innumerable individuals, communities, and industries across Maine. Eliminating this funding will hurt not only those employed by the Maine Sea Grant program, but every lobsterman, fisherman, and aquaculture practitioner in the state as well as their families and communities.”
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Maine Sea Grant is a federal-state partnership program based at the University of Maine and one of 34 NOAA Sea Grant programs throughout the coastal and Great Lakes states. We receive funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which is matched by the state of Maine and other non-federal sources. Since 1971, we have promoted science and education for the sustainable development, management, and stewardship of Maine’s marine and coastal resources. We continue this mission today by supporting marine and coastal research, education, and outreach via a marine extension team with individuals located in coastal communities from Wells to Eastport.
Maine Sea Grant’s work across Maine, from the Piscataqua River to Passamaquoddy Bay, is carried out on the lands and waters of the Wabanaki people. We thank the Wabanaki, people of the Dawn Land, for their stewardship and continued strength and resilience in protecting it. We support all efforts for healing and protecting the land and water we share.
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