Resources Database

This flowchart maps the different licenses you need to have to sell your aquaculture shellfish out of state by mail or by vehicle, and in the state of Maine including selling direct to restaurants, and wholesale distributors, at a farmer's market, your home, and your lease site.

A basic list of what licenses you need to sell your aquaculture shellfish at your home, at your lease site, to your local grocery/general store, roadside, to a restaurant, to a wholesale distributor, at a farmers market, or Out of state.

The Maine Department of Marine Resources' online licensing and landings system, called LEEDS (Licensing Enforcement and Environmental Data System) is now available. In order to apply for a new license or renew a license with the system, you first need to create a login for LEEDS

Answers basic questions about Maine DMR's Aquaculture Harvest License such as: Who should have it?, What is it? What does it cost?, What does this license allow you to do?, How do I apply?, and Who should I contact with questions?

Basic information on receiving shellfish such as proper temperature; storage and display guidelines; personal hygiene when handling shellfish; and recordkeeping.

Provides a comprehensive resource to help managers at the local and state level sustain Maine’s valuable shellfish resources. Includes information on the history and biology of the soft-shell clam, northern quahog, American and European oysters, and blue mussels. There are sections on state resources to address water quality issues and predatory species and tools that municipalities can use to preserve or increase their intertidal shellfish resources.

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.

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.

The goal of a Vibrio Control or Vibrio Management Plan 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.

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.

DMR Bureau of Public Health PowerPoint on shellfish and public health, National Shellfish Sanitation Program, Growing Area Classifications, Marine Sanitation Devices, Legal Notice for Pollution Closures, Closure Notifications, Emergency Closures, marine biotoxins, Biotoxin Sample Processing, High Risk Species, Biotoxin Illnesses, Vibrio bacteria, Control Plans, Best Management Practices, Shellfish Tags, Licensing to Harvest, Allowable sales, Winter Storage on Land, and Seaweed.

The DMR Bureau of Public Health Shellfish Closure Map and Data Portal has bacterial (NSSP) classifications, municipal conservation closures, biotoxin closures, and emergency closures displayed. Other layers including P90 scores can be turned on in the layer list.

Lists all forms involved with sanitation and the HACCP guidelines including vibrio control plans, wet storage, daily sanitation reports, a processing log with sales records, shipping temperature compliance, and more.

DMR shellfish dealer licenses and sanitation certificates application forms.

List that contains the names and addresses of markets and restaurants that are licensed to purchase shellfish directly from harvesters, then sell them in the retail trade only.

Reviews the types of harmful phytoplankton that produce biotoxins such as Alexandrium, which causes paralytic shellfish poisoning; Pseudo-nitzschia, which causes amnesic shellfish poisoning; and Dinophysis, which causes diarrhetic shellfish poisoning.

List all interstate certified shippers that can ship fresh and frozen oysters, clams, mussels, whole or roe-on scallops and is published monthly.

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

Provides information on recent changes in shellfish closures and is updated daily.

Lists dealers that are certified under the NSSP to ship, or process shellfish for shipment, within and outside of the state of Maine.

Vibrios are naturally occurring bacteria typically found in marine waters. Research indicates the growth rates of Vibrio parahemolyticus (Vp) within harvested bivalves are determined by temperature; at 90°F the Vibrio population will double every hour, but below 50 the growth of Vp essentially stops. The best way to keep bivalve shellfish safe from Vibrio contamination is by observing temperature controls including cooling product as quickly as possible after harvest.

A federal/state cooperative program recognized by the U. S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Interstate Shellfish Sanitation Conference (ISSC) for the sanitary control of shellfish produced and sold for human consumption.

A global fish and shellfish health lab, we offer you top-quality diagnostics, import/export inspections, and veterinary solutions from consultation to custom vaccines.