Dan Belknap School of Earth and Climate Sciences University of Maine 207.827.7598 belknap@maine.edu The current explosive population growth of the non-native European green crab (Carcinus maenus) is implicated in the widespread destruction of juvenile clams, eelgrass beds, and possible impacts on mussels and lobsters in Maine. Each of these effects has critical consequences for seafood […]
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John Anderson William H. Drury Chair in Ecology and Natural History College of the Atlantic 207.801.5717 Herring gulls and great black-backed gulls, once so ubiquitous they were routinely killed by wildlife officials, lately have experienced catastrophic declines throughout their range. Because both species of gull are found across much of the northern hemisphere, little has […]
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Ian Medeiros College of the Atlantic 774.218.8426 Nishanta Rajakaruna College of the Atlantic Seaweeds harvested and grown off the Maine coast support a strong and expanding seafood industry. Marine macroalgae have many unique characteristics, including the ability to absorb or bioaccumulate heavy metals. Whether or not these metals are available to consumers or have toxic […]
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Anna Bass University of New England 207.602.2481 Like other ground or bottom-dwelling fish such as cod, haddock, and flounder, hake is a popular food fish. The name “hake” describes a number of different species—red, white, and long-finned hake, which are more closely related to cod, and silver hake or whiting—yet markets and menus typically just use […]
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Markus Frederich Marine Science Center University of New England 207.602.2406 As filter feeders, blue mussels (Mytilus edulis) are at particular risk of accumulating aquatic pollutants. Municipal wastewater effluent, commonly discharged into marine environments, can contain pollutants, including heavy metals, polyaromatic hydrocarbons, and endocrine-disruptors, as well as pharmaceuticals and personal care products. Examining this waste in […]
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Yong Chen 225 Libby Hall University of Maine 207.581.4303 The American Fisheries Society promotes scientific research and sustainable management of fisheries resources. It also publishes some of the world’s leading fisheries research journals and books and encourages comprehensive education for fisheries professionals. By organizing scientific meetings where new results are reported and discussed, it acts […]
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John Duff School for the Environment University of Massachusetts Boston 617.287.7445 Public concerns over coastal access in Maine have been the subject of recent litigation, media coverage, and Maine Sea Grant public outreach and education efforts. Much of the information available to the public regarding public shoreline access is dated and does not reflect recent […]
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Dwayne Shaw Downeast Salmon Federation 207.483.4336 info@mainesalmonrivers.org On the third Friday in April, the Downeast Salmon Federation hosts a community smelt fry to celebrate spring and the annual harvest of rainbow smelt, a native sea-run fish. Friends, family, and visitors gather next to the Wild Salmon Resource Center on the banks of the Pleasant River. […]
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Tyler Carrier University of Maine 802.522.9847 tyler.carrier@maine.edu Tyler Carrier was listening to a podcast about harmful algal blooms on the West Coast, where researchers were finding sea urchins washing ashore. He wondered whether juvenile stages of urchins and other echinoderms might be affected by harmful algae, which have become more frequent and intense in the […]
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Damian Brady University of Maine and DeepCWind Consortium 207.312.8752 damian.brady@maine.edu As energy activities move offshore to the winds and waters of the Gulf of Maine, developers and regulators have to assess the effects of offshore technology on wildlife. Recent evidence indicates that the "marine aerosphere," or environment above the sea surface, is frequented by bats, […]
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