Saturday, September 28
9:00am-4:00pm
Searsport’s Union Hall, 1 Union Street, Searsport

$60 for members, teachers, and non-profit employees
$75 for non-members
$30 for students
Lunch will be provided
Registration deadline is September 16

The classic image of a Maine Fisherman is the lobsterman who owns and operates his own boat with a small crew to help with the catch. While this is still very much the case, Maine is diversifying its fisheries: aquaculture is introducing more marketable species, multi-national companies are applying for land-based aquaculture permits, the traditional bait fish stocks are running short and new sources need to be found, the removal of river dams means more fish are returning to the Penobscot Nation’s sovereign waters, and women are breaking into the fish catch and processing arenas. 

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Sessions

9:00

Keynote: The Current State of the Gulf of Maine Fisheries
Prof. Robert Steneck, School of Marine Sciences, The University of Maine

10:00

Land-based Aquaculture
Mid-coast Maine has at least three large-scale Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS) companies at various stages of the permitting process. Our panel of researchers, commercial fishermen, and company representatives will discuss this brave new frontier for Maine.

Panelists: Steve Eddy, Center for Cooperative Aquaculture Research (moderator); Barry Costa-Pierce, University of New England, Executive Director, UNE NORTH, Portland, Maine; Paul Molyneaux, Commercial Fisherman and Author; Jennifer Fortier, Whole Oceans, Outreach and Development Associate

11:00

Sea-based Aquaculture
Lobstermen, looking to diversify their catch, are joining other aquaculturists in the traditional seaweed, shellfish, and salmon seafarms and in the expansion to new farmed-raised species. Our panel of researchers and commercial producers will discuss the state of the sea-based farm.

Panelists: Sarah Redmond, Springtide Seaweed, Marsden Brewer, Maine Aquaculture Coop, more to be announced

Noon

Lunch

1:00

Dam Removal and Return of the Fish
As dams along the Penobscot River are removed, sea-run fish are returning to their historic spawning grounds, which are part of Penobscot Nation sovereign territory. Access and usage has become a source of contention between the Penobscot Nation and the State of Maine. Our panel of Penobscot Nation scientists and administrators discuss the state of the Penobscot fisheries.

Panelists: John Banks, Penobscot Nation Director of Natural Resources and Dan McCaw, Penobscot Nation fisheries biologist

2:00

Processing Fish
While the men caught the fish, women processed fish at home and in the factory. Regulations and changes in taste have altered fish processing in Maine over the past century and a half. Our panel of smokehouse owners and historians will discuss how women fueled the industry and the current state of processing in Maine.

Panelists: Leslie Harlow, Sullivan Harbor Farm; Jill Whitchurch Dixon, historian

3:00

Bait Fisheries
Lobster bait is in short supply and prices are skyrocketing. Our panel of bait suppliers, fishermen, fisheries scientists and policy analysts discuss that state of the bait fish stocks and regulations in the Gulf of Maine.

Panelists: Melissa Smith, Maine Department of Marine Resources, more to be announced