Resources Database

Summarizes common and important mistakes that new growers will make when first starting.

Overview of mussel farming systems, mussel spat collection, seed stripping and stocking, problems occasionally encountered, processing, packaging and shipping, site selection, and planning a business.

Report on spat collection equipment and practices that could be useful to stock enhancement and aquaculture in Maine such as the use of spat bags to capture competent scallop larvae and the creation of spawner sanctuaries.

After purchasing used shellfish production equipment, it is strongly recommended to thoroughly clean and disinfect the gear prior to use to limit the risk of introducing disease or invasive species. An easy-to-use process is as follows:

In depth document created to provide the information and a framework that will enable a shellfish farmer to write a comprehensive Best Management Practices document focusing on gear/operation and maintenance, user conflicts, permitting/siting, and environmental concerns.

An ID guide to organisms commonly found in, on, and around oyster grow bags ​and other aquaculture equipment used in the Gulf of Maine and North Atlantic.

In September 2023 the ECSGA updated its 2010 Best Management Practices manual. Building on the 2010 version, this update adds a new section on the management and handling of floating gear, hundreds of embedded links, info on new gear types and a revised bibliography. ECSGA also completely revamped the tool to create your own farm-specific Best Practices document: the Best Practices Form.

Free online courses in macroalgae cultivation, microalgae cultivation, introduction to algae, and algae biotechnology. Created out of a partnership between academic institutions, national research laboratories, and industry leaders, ATEC’s goal is to develop novel educational programs to strengthen industry workforce capabilities, by focusing on the skills needed to support the commercialization of algal products. Through algal education, students learn practical applications of farming and biotechnology developing the skills for the next generation of algal-based jobs.

This directory is intended to identify shellfish hatcheries and nurseries from along the east coast of the United States in order to serve as a tool for providing a stronger link between shellfish seed suppliers and shellfish farmers. The directory includes contact information for each business, as well as some additional information indicating the type of operation (i.e., hatchery, nursery, or research) and what products they expect to have available.

If you have been around this business for a while, you’ve probably watched some of the newcomers make the same mistakes you did when you were getting started. ECSGA Executive Director Bob Rheault decided he would try to think of as many of these common pitfalls as he could to help new growers avoid making the same costly blunders. Through the years he has continued to add to the list.

This video gives a first-hand account of running a mussel farm by Bangs Island Mussels including on the water gear and husbandry and well as shore-side processing. Some highlights are seeding, socking, hauling and stripping machine, de-clumper, size grader, debyssing machine, automatic bagger/weigher/conveyor, and more.

Webinar about research on scallop aquaculture production and economics including comparisons of nursery and growout gear: lantern nets, pearl nets, ear hanging, pocket nets, rigid trays, and adhesives; tissue sampling and testing for biotoxins such as saxitoxin and domoic acid; evaluation of fouling communities; surveys of producers to understand economic inputs and outputs such as capital, labor, and yield; environmental data matched with growth data to better understand good scallop-farming sites.

As part of the Scallop Research Collaborative, we're creating a public database of scallop research happening throughout the state of Maine. Our goal is to create a resource that brings together research in both wild harvest and aquaculture scallops, to increase transparency and communication about research, and to create new opportunities for collaboration.

There are several ways in which birds interact with shellfish aquaculture. Birds can cause significant damage to crops through predation. Some birds fall into the category of protected resources and farmers have been variously accused of interfering with foraging, (either attracting or disturbing or both) and interfering with hunting. Birds can be attracted to aquaculture structures for roosting or foraging and their guano can impact water quality and trigger the need for growers to develop management plans under the National Shellfish Sanitation Plan.

Providing and promoting lifelong education and learning opportunities for students and professionals, the Algae Foundation seeks to demystify algae by providing unique Algae Academy education modules to bring algae into the classroom, collegiate level courses to prepare the next generation of bioeconomy professionals, and teacher trainings to enhance the science capabilities of our educators.

The Maine Seaweed Exchange is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the success of seaweed professionals of any experience level. We provide education, advocacy, and access to a network of thoughtful and dedicated members from around the world.

Powerpoint on biofouling including, economic impact, general impact, common fouling organisms (macroalgae, tunicates, hydroids, boring sponge, over-set of barnacles, mussels, or oysters), controlling fouling, and methods to avoid, mitigate, or prevent the effects of biofouling.

Research paper on mussel spawning, spat (seed) collection, and hatchery grow out. They researched naturally and artificially conditioned mussel broodstock; compare different ropes used for settling larvae; hatchery production methods; if differences exist in growth and retention rates; whether working mussel farms would benefit from multiple cohorts of cultured seed; & the effectiveness of remote vs. traditional setting methods to decrease costs associated with the production of cultured mussel seed.

In depth review of sea scallop biology, spat collection, nursery, grow out, gear, husbandry, site selection economic considerations and biotoxins/public health.