Maine Sea Grant

Monique Coombs Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association   In 2017, Bert Jongerdon, General Manager of the Portland Fish Exchange, called the Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association because he had a load of cusk and could not find a buyer. MCFA couldn’t identify a buyer, either, and the fish ended selling for pennies. Shortly after, MCFA discussed the […]

Alice Kelley School of Earth and Climate Sciences University of Maine More than 2,000 historic Wabanaki shell middens are located on the coast of Maine.  These human-created accumulations of shells, faunal remains, and artifacts were once seen as trash heaps, but are now viewed as archives of over 4,000 years of coastal lifeways and environmental […]

Darren Ranco Coordinator of Native American Research University of Maine   Katherine Allen School of Earth and Climate Science University of Maine   The flow of water across Maine’s landscape, through its rivers, and into the sea represents a key link in the regional water cycle, impacting both terrestrial and marine environments. River runoff contributes […]

Cary Friedman Assistant Professor of Marine Science Maine Maritime Academy Castine, ME Persistent organic pollutants are pervasive throughout the world’s oceans, and they are present in the Penobscot River and Bay. One type of pollutant, a polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) used as flame retardant on a wide variety of products, can be toxic to people […]

Ian Bricknell School of Marine Sciences University of Maine The European green crab, Carcinus maenas, is an invasive species on the East Coast of the United States as well as many other regions around the world, and threatens important seafood species in Maine. There are no significant natural predators of green crabs on the coast […]

Bob Twilley President, Coastal & Estuarine Research Federation Seattle, WA The mission of the Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation is to advance understanding and stewardship of estuarine and coastal ecosystems worldwide through promoting research supporting education, and facilitating communication among scientists, government, and the public. The Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation is the only scientific […]

Karen Wilson University of Southern Maine In the Penobscot River Estuary, the return of large numbers of river herring coincides with a legacy of mercury contamination from historic industrial activity. Sea Grant funded research has demonstrated that juvenile river herring are spending much longer in the estuary than previously thought (weeks to months) and consuming […]

Meredith White Mook Sea Farm Email Mook Sea Farm Bacteria belonging to the genus Vibrio are found naturally in brackish and marine environments and represent the leading cause of human illness associated with eating raw seafood, including oysters. The recent warming trend in sea surface temperature of the North Atlantic is linked to the spread […]

Glen Melvin Waldoboro Shellfish Committee The Medomak River represents one of the most productive and valuable clam fisheries in Maine, yet many productive areas are closed due to pollution. Recognizing the need to understand and resolve persistent water quality issues, the Town of Waldoboro, Waldoboro Shellfish Committee, Waldoboro Utility District, and the Medomak Valley Land […]

Sara Rademaker American Unagi LLC PO Box 81 Thomaston, ME Email Sarah Rademaker Maine’s multimillion dollar juvenile eel fishing industry currently ships elvers or glass eels to farms in Asia, where they are grown to marketable size and exported back to the U.S. Recognizing an opportunity to provide local, sustainable seafood, Sara Rademaker has made […]