Articles
Urchin project explores seaweed as feed
Sea urchins have been successfully raised in tanks and in open-water farms, but the product could become even more valuable if the shellfish could be fattened up before harvested. That’s where Nick Brown and Steve Eddy come in. Brown is director of the University of Maine’s Center for Cooperative Aquaculture Research and Eddy is one
Putting Together a Maine Maritime Museum Exhibit
Chris Hall, Curator of Exhibits at Maine Maritime Museum, learned about the ship, Dash of Portland, during what he calls the hunter-gatherer phase of planning the museum’s latest exhibit, “Subdue, Seize and Take: Maritime Maine in the Unwelcome Interruption of the War of 1812.” Hall discovered, and has on display, the June 1812 Letter of
Researchers and Shellfish Growers Take On Razor Clams
When oysters or mussels are being cultured, they hang around or stay put on the bottom. They can be found where a grower leaves them. But razor clams (Ensis directus) pose a different challenge. They like to travel. They can dig, swim or jump, skills they have honed to escape predators or to relocate to
Casco Bay’s Keeper Celebrates 20 Years
Mary Cerullo, who has worked with Friends of Casco Bay BAYKEEPER Joe Payne for 13 years, says she likes to describe him as “gracious and tenacious.” He has a “work-with” attitude, she says, which has made it possible over the past 20 years for him to maintain connections and respectful communication with people from all
Tropical Fish…In Maine?
Near the entrance of the 12,000-square-foot building in Franklin that is home to Sea & Reef Aquaculture, numerous tanks hold thousands of brightly colored tropical fish destined for pet stores and wholesalers across the United States. In some, duplicates of Finding Nemo’s hero, the Tomato Clownfish, swim around each other, each confident in its own
Family Runs Sustainability-Minded Mussel Farm
From an early age, Matt Moretti was intrigued by the natural world, particularly the marine environment. When he and his father, Gary, went out lobstering together, his father says nine-year old Matt would spend more time with a magnifying glass peering at creatures that clung to or crawled into the traps than he would helping
Oceanic Center Proposed in Harpswell
Through an improbable series of events—a hip replacement gone bad, a visit with a college friend not seen in 55 years, an impromptu trip to George J. Mitchell Field—two marine biologists with a combined 93 years’ experience in aquaculture and other marine-related projects have put together a plan for an Oceanic Center in Harpswell. Since
Community effort brings new fire station to Arrowsic
Driving past the old Arrowsic Fire Station, it’s easy to understand why the entire volunteer fire department resigned in disgust after town selectmen refused to approve funds for a new station in 2000. Arrowsic, however, recently held an open house in a brand-new station, because Fire Chief Chris Cummings, who took on the job in
Developing dry space at Darling Marine Center
Until April 26, when a piece of aquaculture netting was cut to celebrate the opening of dry lab and office space on the second floor, researchers like Dr. Paul Rawson, who has been working to develop and test genetically improved oyster lines that will be useful to the Maine oyster industry and other New England
Nature Conservancy causes stir in Phippsburg
Some people are aggravated by rules that tread on many years of traditional, unsupervised use. They’re not ready for restrictions like: don’t take your dog here or your horse there, no ATVs allowed on this or that trail, stop target practice at this area, don’t nail any deer stands to trees, no more partying at