Maine Sea Grant

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 […]

Carolyn Tepolt Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution   Genetic adaptation may play an important role in the ability of lobsters to adapt to changing environmental conditions in the Gulf of Maine. Earlier research has suggested that lobsters may have evolved genetic variation related to temperature. However, the potential of rapid genomic adaptation to contribute to lobster […]

Kathleen Thornton Darling Marine Center University of Maine Citizen groups, aided by new technologies such as autonomous buoys, sondes, and other hand held instrumentation, as well as an expanding network of volunteer monitors, are obtaining a steadily increasing volume of coastal and estuarine water quality data. Even as the amount of data increases, there exist […]

Meredith White Mook Sea Farm   Some of the greatest risks facing oyster growers in Maine stem from ecosystem changes including increased temperature and changes to seawater chemistry that affect abundance of Vibrio species, an illness-causing bacteria. Illnesses linked to consumption of shellfish from cooler northeast waters had historically been rare but has increased in […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]