Two smiling men shucking shellfish behind a table of scallops and oysters on the half-shell
Marine Extension Associates Dana Morse and Chris Bartlett shuck shellfish at the 2019 Maine Fishermen's Forum Seafood Reception.Photo: Michael Young, Maine Fishermen's Forum

Maine Sea Grant at the 2020 Maine Fishermen’s Forum

March 2, 2020 Blog Entry

By Abigail Muscat, University of Maine undergraduate student and Maine Sea Grant intern

From March 5-7, Maine Sea Grant will join fishermen, resource managers, scientists, coastal decision-makers, and community members at the 45th annual Maine Fishermen’s Forum. This 3-day event provides free seminars for fishermen covering a wide range of topics and offers a platform for participants to share information, discuss ongoing opportunities and challenges, and collaborate. It also provides ample opportunity for you to connect directly with Maine Sea Grant staff and extension team members.

A display table holds 2 Maine Sea Grant banners, a bouquet of flowers, and information pamphlets and handouts.
Photo: Michael Young, Maine Fishermen's ForumMaine Sea Grant at the Forum.

Maine Sea Grant has a long history of participating in the Maine Fishermen’s Forum. The first Forum was funded by Maine Sea Grant in 1976, as part of a collaborative project between UMaine Professor Emeritus Jim Wilson and the former director of the Maine Center for Coastal Fisheries and Commissioner of the Maine Department of Marine Resources, Robin Alden. The event was an immediate success and in 1984, the Maine Fishermen’s Forum was incorporated as a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving the vision of the Forum as an educational and network-building event for Maine fishing communities. To date, Maine Sea Grant maintains a seat on the Fishermen’s Forum Board and participates at the annual event.

This year, you can connect with Maine Sea Grant staff and our Marine Extension Associates in the following ways:

  • Wind Energy Development in the Gulf of Maine, Thursday, March 5, 9:30 am – 4:00 pm. Maine Sea Grant Director Gayle Zydlewski will co-host a day-long session on offshore wind energy development.
  • Seafood Reception, Thursday, March 5, 5:30 pm. Marine Extension Associates Chris Bartlett and Dana Morse will help shuck oysters for those attending.
  • Environmental Monitors on Lobster Traps and Large Trawlers (eMOLT): A Gathering of Participants to Update Them on Protocol and Results, Friday, March 6, 1:00 pm. Maine Sea Grant Director Gayle Zydlewski will host a session that will describe the eMOLT program and provide training on new equipment and technologies.
  • Voices from the Maine Fishermen’s Forum: Stories and Exhibit, Saturday, March 7, 9:00 am. Marine Extension Associate Natalie Springuel will provide a brief background on the Voices from the Maine Fishermen’s Forum project as a panelist before session attendees are invited to explore listening stations and hear stores from 2018 and 2019 Forum attendees.
  • Maine DMR Lobster Science and Collaboration, Saturday March 7, 10:30 am. Marine Extension Associate Chris Bartlett will be presenting on the American Lobster Initiative.
  • Practical Equipment and Methods for Scallop Farming, Saturday, March 7, 1:00 pm. Marine Extension Associate Dana Morse will moderate an interactive, hands-on information sharing session, where attendees will see a longline setup and a common scallop farming equipment display.

You can also hear more about the Aquaculture in Shared Waters program Saturday, March 7 at the Aquaculture Training Opportunities for Fishermen and Marine Tradespeople session at 2:45 pm.

Additionally, you can connect with Maine Sea Grant at the Trade Show. Stop by our exhibit table to meet our team and learn more about our mission and funded projects.

For more information on event schedules, visit the Maine Fishermen’s Forum website.

 

Posted 2 March 2020