Winter 2024/25 Newsletter

Message from the Director

What a winter! As we round the corner toward spring, the time for the Fishermen’s Forum is upon us again. This year is a special celebration, as it is the 50th anniversary of this important event! Maine Sea Grant is proud to say we have been with the Forum for the full 50 years. Conceived by Professor Jim Wilson and his student, Robin Alden, the Forum was funded by Sea Grant in 1975 to implement Jim’s idea of building “…a community that could start to prepare for this brave new world” of the 1970s. The Forum eventually became self-sustaining through the work of dedicated founding organizations, volunteers, board members, and staff. In 1985, Ron Dearborn, Sea Grant director at the time, called the Forum Sea Grant’s most significant contribution to the fishing industry in New England. I concur. It represents the essence of all we do, bringing people together to learn, build community, tackle challenges, and create new opportunities for the next generation. I look forward to seeing many of you there!

Thank you for taking the time to read this newsletter. We are grateful for our many partners and collaborators, and for all who support the work we are so passionate about. We are privileged to have the opportunity to serve Maine’s coastal communities, and we will continue to do all we can to support them as they work to meet the challenges of our times. Thank you!

– Gayle Zydlewski

Program Updates

Welcoming New Team Members

Please join us in welcoming Fisheries Extension Associate Alicia Gaiero and Lobster Research and Extension Coordinator Michelle Brown to our Maine Sea Grant team. We are excited to have them both on board!

Young Fishermen’s Career Development Projects Opportunity

Sea Grant seeks collaborative applications to develop and execute programs, workshops, and services that enable fishermen to enter career paths. Applications are due April 23, 2025. Learn more about the Young Fishermen’s Career Development Projects opportunity.

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Research

Maine Sea Grant at the 2025 Maine Sustainability & Water Conference

Multiple members of the Maine Sea Grant team will be co-hosting sessions at the 2025 Maine Sustainability & Water Conference, addressing topics around sustainable packaging and reuse solutions to address the issue of plastic waste in Maine waters and concepts around riverscape restoration. See the entire list of concurrent sessions for the 2025 Maine Sustainability & Water Conference.

• Defining Riverscapes: Physical, Chemical, and Biological Interactions Affecting Riverine and Riparian Health
  • Justin Stevens will serve as a co-chair for a session led by the Maine Riverscape Restoration Network that will explore current data describing the ecological health of Maine’s riverscapes with regard to physical, chemical, and biological functions. See the session schedule for ‘Defining Riverscapes: Physical, Chemical, and Biological Interactions Affecting Riverine and Riparian Health’.
• Sustainable Packaging and Reuse Solutions to Address the Issue of Plastic Waste
  • Beth Bisson, Dana Morse, Harsha Elizabeth James, Jessica Jansujwicz, and Keri Kaczor will serve as co-chairs for a session that will focus on sustainable solutions, with emphasis on approaches to replace single-use plastics by designing biodegradable packaging alternatives and ways to reduce its overall demand by identifying effective, equitable, and scalable reuse systems. See the session schedule for ‘Sustainable Packaging and Reuse Solutions to Address the Issue of Plastic Waste’.

River Herring Network Meeting Recap

On January 9th, 2025, the Gulf of Maine River Herring Network hosted a River Herring Research Symposium at the University of Maine at Augusta. The network brings together the wide range of people working on river herring management, research, restoration, and monitoring in the Gulf of Maine and is led by Manomet Conservation Sciences and Maine Center for Coastal Fisheries. Over 50 participants from as far as Connecticut and the Canadian border traveled to the symposium to share research, management, and education updates—and the deep knowledge and enthusiasm was obvious throughout the day! The first half of the day was focused on presentations while the second half focused on group discussions, networking, and connecting people working in shared waters. This work is part of a Maine Sea Grant biennial award focused on river herring collaborative research and co-management. Video recordings from the forum can be found here.

Extension and Community Engagement

Meet the MET – Michelle Brown

On this season’s “Meet the MET(Marine Extension Associate)”, we’re introducing you to Michelle Brown, our Lobster Research and Extension Coordinator. Meet Michelle in her video.

Wrap-up of Storm Convenings

Over the last four months, a series of public forums aimed at preparing communities for future extreme weather, were held along the coast of Maine from Lubec to Kittery. These meetings brought together local officials, emergency personnel, fishermen, and waterfront businesses to discuss storm response and preparedness and share resources. The forums provided a valuable opportunity for neighboring communities to exchange best practices and coordinate efforts to address the challenges of storms intensified by climate change.

Education and Workforce Development

Bringing the Sea Inland and Rural Youth with Maine Sea Grant

On May 16th, Maine Sea Grant brought high school students from Sacopee, Maine on Casco Bay to explore the estuary, including the opportunities and challenges the Bay has to offer. Students visited a mussel and kelp farm, cruised around islands and lighthouses, and learned about marine life, working waterfront industries, and the health of the Bay. Partners included Sacopee High School, Bangs Island Mussels, Casco Bay Estuary Research Partnership, Friends of Casco Bay, Maine Aquaculture Innovation Center, and the University of New England. Read more about the program through Keri Kaczor’s blog.

Aquaculture Bootcamp 2025

Applications are now open for Aquaculture Boot Camp, an intensive training opportunity for new aquaculturists that will take place at the University of Maine’s Darling Marine Center. This five-day workshop is offered as part of the Aquaculture in Shared Waters (AQSW) program, which has helped commercial fishermen and farmers start and improve their aquaculture businesses in Maine for over a decade.

This training opportunity focuses on targeted skills for new farmers and farm hands. Skill-building modules will include topics such as small vessel handling and maneuvering, shellfish gear construction, seeding and harvesting of kelp lines, and more. Application deadline is March 24, 2025.

In the News

• Maine Sea Grant Director, Gayle Zydlewski, spoke with News Center Maine regarding the importance of the recent storm-response convenings being held throughout the state.
• Maine Public announced the kick-off of storm preparedness meetings being hosted throughout coastal Maine communities to help residents plan for increased risks from strong storms.
• NOAA Fisheries announced the release of an updated National Aquaculture Development Plan, the first update since 1983.
• The Harpswell Anchor connected with Maine Sea Grant’s Marine Extension Program leader, Natalie Springuel, to better understand how coastal communities can better prepare for future storms by sharing resilience strategies, resources, and climate action plans.
• Dana Morse co-authored an article for Bangor Daily News regarding how aquaculture industries are adapting to climate change through technology transfer.
• Through an internship offered by NOAA and Maine Sea Grant, Tori Merringer spent the past summer working alongside scientists and conservationists to learn more about Atlantic salmon. Read about her experience in an article by Colby College News.
• Dr. Harsha Elizabeth James composed a blog for UMaine Marine discussing her work as a postdoctoral researcher at Maine Sea Grant on the Marine Debris Challenge Project.
• UMaine News highlighted Maine Sea Grant’s “Bringing the Sea to Inland and Rural Youth” initiative, a program that connects nearly 400 middle and high school students from rural Maine to marine ecosystems, aquaculture practices, and marine science careers.
• Gayle Zydlewski was interviewed by MaineBiz to explain how Maine is enhancing its climate resilience through community-based efforts and research initiatives, particularly along its coastal and working waterfronts.
• Kristen Grant, Senior Extension program manager at Maine Sea Grant, chatted with the Portland Press Herald about the efforts of Maine’s Social Resilience Project.
• Dana Morse and Colleen Suckling discussed sea urchin farming in New England at a recent coastal state meeting, as covered by Rhody Today.

Mark your Calendars

• 50th Annual Maine Fishermen’s Forum, February 27 – March 1, 2025
• Maine Sustainability and Water Conference, March 27, 2025
• Maine Seaweed Week, April 25 – May 4, 2025

Tune in to WERU Community Radio (89.9 FM in Blue Hill and streaming online at WERU.org) from 4:00 to 4:30 PM the fourth Friday of each month for Coastal Conversations, a public affairs program hosted by Marine Extension Associate Natalie Springuel that explores current issues facing Maine’s coastal communities through conversations with people who live, work, and play on our coast. Coastal Conversations is supported by Maine Sea Grant, in partnership with co-hosts at Schoodic Institute and The First Coast. 

Want to Connect?

Maine Sea Grant supports the responsible use and conservation of coastal resources to sustain diverse, thriving coastal communities and ecosystems. Our work requires building partnerships and collaborations with organizations and individuals across the coast and beyond. If you have questions or ideas, or if you’d like to connect, please feel free to reach out to anyone on our team.