Marine extension staff provide technical and organizational support to the aquaculture industry, and assist in developing and implementing sustainable fish health management practices. They also assist volunteer environmental monitors in providing credible data to state and local resource managers. In addition, they work with coastal communities on issues of concern, including land use planning, environmental management, use conflicts, and other watershed initiatives.

Oyster Garden Program
Oyster gardening is an educational program, which uses the process of growing oysters to engage participants in topics like estuarine ecology, shellfish biology, aquaculture regulation, stewardship, public health, natural resource management, and a host of others. Oyster gardening got its start in the Chesapeake Bay region, and has since spread to many other coastal states. Our program here in Maine has been adapted from those developed elsewhere, to meet our particular needs, opportunities, and constraints.

The Spring Running
The Spring Running is an outdoor festival in Augusta, Maine, designed to focus attention on the Kennebec River and its value as a natural resource to the people of the region. It has a strong emphasis on stewardship and education, but also serves as an economic development opportunity, in the belief that good environmental ethics and a vibrant economy go hand in hand.

The first year for this festival was 2006, and the planning for the 2007 event (June 2, 2007) is under way. The program will feature exhibits from groups from the region and around the state (Trout Unlimited, Maine Dept of Fish and Wildlife, Kennebec Valley Watershed Association, and others), instruction and displays (fly tying and casting, fly rod building, and shad and alewife smoking), a farmers' market, entertainment and more. Those interested in following or participating in the program can look on the event Web site: www.springrunning.com.

Building on Promise:
Continued investigation in using a 4-seam bottom trawl to improve escapement of small haddock and cod.
This collaborative research project is a product of an idea from the late Stanley Coffin, a fisherman from Edgecomb, and Kelo Pinkham, a fisherman from Boothbay. The goal of the project is to modify a trawl net so that it improves escapement of small cod and haddock, and is a follow-up to some promising preliminary work done in 2004. We will examine the effects of using a 4-seam bottom trawl having 6” hexagonal mesh in the side panels, as measured against a more standard net that has 6” diamond mesh in the side panels. It is hoped that the hex mesh will allow small cod and haddock to escape, and still have good catching ability for market-sized individuals. Since cod and haddock are important groundfish stocks in the Gulf of Maine multi-species complex, preserving the upcoming generations is of concern to fishermen, biologists, managers, and conservationists alike. Field trials are scheduled to begin in the spring of 2007.

Scallop Spat Collection and Stock Enhancement
Spat collection for stock enhancement, which began in Maine in 1999, resulted in strong interest from industry, science, and management. Since then, our understanding of effective spat collection has increased, and it is now generally a dependable method. The current need is to better understand the elements necessary for effective bottom seeding, including site selection, and the potential for nursery culture.

This work has afforded a great opportunity for industry leadership to develop, and for fishermen to engage in science that will enhance the fishery. In addition, relationships with others in similar endeavors in Canada, New Zealand, and Norway have been developed, all of which improves the chances for productive stock enhancement to take place.

New England Farmed Fish Health Management Workshop
Over 100 salmon industry personnel, scientists, fish health specialists, and agency representatives participated in the 2004 workshop, held in Eastport on April 1. Speakers traveled from Scotland, Canada, and the United States to present information on topics including monitoring phytoplankton blooms in Cobscook Bay, food safety related to salmon consumption, and the control of Infectious Salmon Anemia. Participating veterinarians received continuing education credit.

Shellfish Health
Production and distribution of information on Juvenile Oyster Mortality (JOM)