Blog Entry

Fishermen, others learning the aquaculture ropes in Thomaston, Maine

The fourth class of the Aquaculture in Shared Waters program is underway in Thomaston, Maine. The class of 30 students, including a number of commercial fishermen, meets weekly to learn about the business of aquaculture. The project, which has held classes in 2013 and 2015 in the towns of Harpswell and Corea, is a collaborative effort […]

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Sea Grant alumni working on national marine policy as 2016 Knauss fellows

Two UMaine graduates are working on national marine policy issues as Dean John A. Knauss Fellows. While their placements have just begun, we checked in with Karen Pianka and Noah Oppenheim to see how things were going so far. Their answer? “It’s been a whirlwind.” Karen Pianka studied aquaculture-related issues with Dr. Paul Rawson and Dr. Teresa […]

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Of what value is a gull? by John Anderson

Preface by Natalie Springuel A few years ago, I had the great pleasure of facilitating a meeting of the newly forming Gull Working Group, an alliance of gull researchers in eastern North America. The meeting was hosted by John Anderson, faculty at College of the Atlantic (where my Sea Grant marine extension office is located). […]

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Exploring the management of soft-shell clams in Maine

by Elisabeth A. Maxwell Before I ever thought of attending the University of Maine, I knew about the iconic New England Clam Chowder. It was a menu item that seemed a staple for any seafood restaurant, regardless of which coastline I visited. Back then, I never would have thought that one day I would be […]

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Sea Grant scholar to study lobster fishing

The Maine Sea Grant Scholar Program supports graduate students in the Marine Science/Marine Policy dual-degree program at the University of Maine. We’ve asked scholars to provide periodic updates on their work. Here’s a report from one of our new students, Mackenzie Mazur, who is working with Teresa Johnson and Yong Chen. I started graduate work […]

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Holiday Seafood Traditions, Part 1: Fall-Winter

The December broadcast of Coastal Conversations on WERU-FM will be all about Maine’s winter holiday seafood traditions, past and present. As part of our research, we rode the ferry out to Islesboro to visit with food historian Sandy Oliver. It seemed appropriate to sit in her kitchen, an open space dominated by an Atlantic wood-burning […]

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photo of a lighthouse

The View from Mount Desert Rock

Twenty-five miles due south of Acadia National Park stands the most remote lighthouse in Maine. Established in 1830, the Mount Desert Rock Light is now part of College of the Atlantic’s Edward McC. Blair Marine Research Station. On the eve of Labor Day Weekend, 18 students in Sean Todd’s Marine Mammal Biology class were ready […]

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Goodies Beach photo

Seaweed Accumulation on Maine’s Coastal Beaches

In the last two years, there’s been a rise in reports related to an increase in seaweed on Maine’s coastal beaches. Municipalities have been challenged and swamped with public comments and media attention related to the stench and overall aesthetics of the seaweed mounds that are affecting their beach experience. Last August, York’s beaches were […]

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Maine Oyster Trail 2015 Spring Update

NOTE: Please visit oystertrailmaine.org for the latest information. It’s Spring of 2015, and the wheels of oyster tourism in the state of Maine have most certainly started to spin.  Last year, two companies just started to dip their proverbial toes in the waters of tourism and found to their satisfaction that America’s renewed love affair […]

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