Resources Database

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.

All holders of aquaculture leases and LPA licenses are required to hold the Aquaculture Harvest License in order to harvest and sell product from their aquaculture sites, regardless of the species they grow. Commercial harvester's licenses now apply to only wild-harvest product.

A look at the individual Maine farmers who make a living in the growing industry of Aquaculture.

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.

The goal of these new requirements is to control the safety of molluscan shellfish for human consumption by preventing unnecessary growth of bacterial pathogens resulting from improper or ineffective cooling or from time to temperature abuse.

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.

This non-profit organization helps export Northeast food and agricultural products overseas since 1973. They provides a wide range of services to facilitate trade between local food suppliers and importers around the world including: export education, self-paced training & expert advice, customized export assistance, new market analysis, international marketing &branding, facilitate meetings with international buyers, and a cost-share funding program.

This presentation, given by Dave C. Love, PhD, describes the current status of seafood consumption in the U.S. with a special focus on downstream stages of the supply chain (retail and food service) and their role in seafood availability, affordability, and nutrition.

This Internet-based training program was developed by the National Seafood HACCP Alliance—a group comprised of federal and state agencies with responsibility for seafood safety inspections, Sea Grant and university seafood science professionals, and seafood industry representatives. This training curriculum has two segments. Segment One is the Seafood HACCP Internet course. Those who complete the Internet course are eligible to attend a one-day Segment Two course taught by an Alliance instructor.

DMR welcomes and encourages comment on aquaculture lease applications. This explains the process, scoping sessions, submitting a comment, speaking at a public hearing and more.

This report is based on the research priorities survey conducted in June 2019 of Maine’s aquaculture community and is compared with surveys from 2012 and 2016 to look at trends. There have been some changes in the prioritization of needs since 2016, but many of the same research, development, and education (R&D&E) needs persist and remain unaddressed. As expected, there are different R&D&E priorities for different aquaculture sectors.

Fact sheet on aquaculture lease hearings which are an adjudicatory hearing. It also includes the criteria for issuing aquaculture leases.

Explains how to participate in a hearing, testimony, questions, public support or opposition, intervenor, and after the hearing.

The aim of this open access book is to review and analyze the goods and services of bivalve shellfish.

This brochure explains the benefits of shellfish aquaculture for the environment including improving water quality, increasing species diversity, removing excess nitrogen, and not needing fertilizers, chemicals, or antibiotics.

A brief overview of what aquaculture is, why people do it, and how people do it in Maine.

Reviews the keys to running a successful business; the four P's of marketing, wholesale distributors, risks, and sales.

This brochure reviews safe handling, storage, and cooking practices that shellfish consumers should follow to prevent illness.

Focuses primarily on the environmental sustainability of shellfish aquaculture including resource enhancement, habitat restoration, eutrophication, the impacts of farms on water quality, and harvest methods.

Slideshow summarizing the regulations for shellstock and shucked shellfish handling, sanitation, tagging, and labeling for the state of Maine

In depth study on larval development, sampling and observation methods, calculation of density, larval measurements and identification, and comparison between certain species.

If you're thinking about farming mussels, either as a sideline or the main chance, this booklet is designed to help you make decisions.This booklet reviews mussel raft culture in the Gulf of Maine, The Mussel Raft Project, Predators, storms and moorings, Mussel biology, Selecting a site, Steps in culturing mussels, Outreach, applied research, Sales and marketing , Getting into business, Planning a mussel business, Training and information, Leases and permits, Suppliers, and provides further reading suggestions.