PORTLAND, Maine—Three Maine lobstermen and a former groundfish fisherman have become the first graduates from the first-ever "Cod Academy" aimed at teaching them the ins and outs of fish farming.
Since kicking off in January, the school has provided the four with both classroom training and hands-on experience at a commercial fish farm off eastern Maine that raises cod. They were recognized Tuesday at a graduation ceremony at the USDA National Cold Water Marine Aquaculture Center in Franklin.
The goal is to provide fishermen more opportunities to make their livelihoods off the water while diversifying the state's aquaculture industry and preserving Maine's working waterfronts, said Sebastian Belle, director of the Maine Aquaculture Association who spearheaded the program. The graduates are now eligible for financial assistance from the association to start their own small-scale cod farms if they choose.
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