Lecture on Aquaculture Trends

Students of the Brady Lab conducting field work. /Photo courtesy of University of Maine.

As part of the ongoing Research Seminars series, the Hatfield Marine Science Center (HMSC) will host Damian Brady, an Agatha B. Darling Associate Professor of Oceanography at the University of Maine, to discuss their emerging Aquaculture Trends in the Gulf of Maine. This presentation will take place on Thursday, Feb. 2, at 3:30 p.m.

About the talk:

"While aquaculture is often described as one of the fastest growing food production systems in the world, that progress is often non-linear and complex when we focus on any particular location. This type of place-based perspective on aquaculture can be helpful in understanding other complex social-ecolocial-economic systems. Maine leads the country in marine aquaculture production but only engages a small proportion of its 5,600 km of tidal shoreline in this activity. Our group works with the seaweed, shellfish, and finfish industries in the state to create a more sustainable industry since each production system requires different tools. For example, seaweed processing recently passed the million pound threshold in Maine for the first time due to interactions between the seaweed industry and the American lobster fleet. One emerging shellfish aquaculture trend with promise is aquacultured sea scallops. Growers in Maine put the first aquacultured sea scallop on the market in 2019 but any new industry requires significant learning by doing and technology transfer. Finally, our group is working closely with Recirculating Aquaculture Systems, such as Whole Oceans, Kingfish Maine and Nordic AquaFarms to allow for sustainable use of intake water and a full characterization of the impact on receiving waters. A theme o four work is to take established oceanographic tools such as remote sensing satellite systems and oceanographic buoys to better characterize aquaculture environment interactions. For example, by combining multiple observing platforms, we are identifying new areas for shellfish aquaculture expansion, characterizing important feedbacks that alter carrying capacity, and incorporating climate related factors into future aquaculture growing area projections. In short, I will do my best to present a Maine travelogue through an aquaculture lens."

These talks are delivered in a hybrid fashion. The event is free, and all are welcome to attend in person in the Gladys Valley Marine Studies Building auditorium at the HMSC (2030 S.E. Marine Science Dr). You can also attend online. Register here to attend remotely via Zoom.