Saving Seafood

MAINE: What to do about Maine’s green crab problem? Some see opportunity.

October 6, 2025 — In Milbridge, a former farmer is grinding invasive green crabs into fertilizer. In South Portland, a Cambodian food incubator is incorporating them into seafood dishes.

The first time Sam Cheeney saw a green crab was in the early 2000s, as part of an ecology class at the University of Maine at Machias.

He and his classmates ventured out across the mud flats and rocky shoreline in search of the invasive species, one that research suggests has been present on Maine’s coast since the mid-1800s, when it was carried to North America in the ballast waters of a European ship. Today, green crabs prey on soft-shell clams and mussels and have been found to harm salt marshes.

“We would find pockets of just hundreds of them,” Cheeney said. The experience made an impression. In 2023, after stints as a farmer and carpenter, and more than two decades after his first glimpse of the green crab, Cheeney founded Green Kraken, a small business based in Milbridge that makes fertilizer from crushed green crabs. The nutrients in the green crab act as a stimulant for vegetables and other crops.

Read the full article at The Maine Monitor

New England scientists honing models that predict where right whales will pop up next

September 22, 2025 — In recent years, efforts to protect the endangered North Atlantic right whale population have included making ships slow down in known whale zones to avoid hitting them and encouraging fishing crews to use ropeless gear to prevent them from becoming entangled.

But changes to where the whales congregate have been challenging some of those efforts.

Now scientists at the University of Maine and the New England Aquarium in Boston are working together to improve their modelling to predict where the whales will be at any given time.

“North Atlantic right whales utilize a lot of the ocean environment, and so it’s really hard for humans to be out there observing them at all times,” Camille Ross, an associate research scientist at the New England Aquarium in Boston, said in a radio interview with CBC New Brunswick’s Shift.

“And so models like this are really important to fill in those data gaps when we don’t have eyes on the water.”

Ross is the lead author of the study, called “Incorporating prey fields into North Atlantic right whale density surface models,” which was published in the latest edition of the research journal Endangered Species Research.

Read the full article at CBC News

Establishing Maine as a leader in environmental genetics

September 10, 2025 — Awarded in 2019, the NSF EPSCoR RII Track-1 Maine-eDNA project has reached the conclusion of its NSF funding. The program, which investigated Maine’s coast, inland lakes and the waterways in between, championed environmental DNA (eDNA) as a powerful and cost-effective approach to monitoring an environment as small as a stream to as large as Maine’s coastline. Maine-eDNA Co-PI Michael Kinnison, University of Maine professor of evolutionary applications remarked, “The real power that we were seeing for eDNA is being able to look at the biology of the Maine coast at not just local but by very large scales that span habitats. That sort of snapshot of the coastal system is broadly something that’s really hard to get a handle on with other approaches.”

Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences Senior Research Scientist and Geomicrobiologist David Emerson served as a Co-PI for Maine-eDNA and authored the white paper that developed into the project’s proposal. “There are three things that really excite me about eDNA. Scientifically, it is the opportunity to study all organisms, from microbes to whales, within an ecosystem to see how they interconnect; collaboratively, it is the opportunity to work together with researchers from many different disciplines using a common language, DNA, and practically, it is the opportunity to develop an important new tool for ecosystem management and sustainability,” explained Emerson.

This genetic tool leverages the DNA shed by organisms in their environment. Researchers take a sample from the environment, in the case of Maine-eDNA as little as a liter of water, and, depending on method, identify the likely presence of a specific species or range of species in the vicinity. While like any technology there are tradeoffs, this allows researchers to accurately detect species presence in a relatively unobtrusive manner that does not rely on visual identification.

Researchers across Maine saw potential in the technology. “We saw an opportunity to push an emerging technology forward, become a leader in the field and benefit the lives of Mainers,” explained Kody Varahramyan, Maine-eDNA PI and UMaine Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies. “Maine-eDNA’s achievements exemplify the power of partnership and collaboration.”

eDNA technology has developed quickly over the past decade. When the original proposal for Maine-eDNA was in its infancy, researchers were exploring the capabilities of eDNA and interested in finding more applications, but the depth of real-world applications was limited. Fast-forward to 2024 and the President’s Office of Science and Technology Policy released their National Aquatic Environmental DNA Strategy which directs government offices to invest resources in the technology. During the interim years it was projects like Maine-eDNA that pushed the technology forward by improving methodologies, standardizing approaches, making data accessible to others, and pushing the scope of application into new areas.

Maine in many ways was a perfect testing ground as the technology offered a way for researchers to survey the vast expanse of Maine’s waters over the course of several years at a fraction of the price presented by other approaches. A survey of this size also demands the standardization and ground truthing the technology needed. Maybe most importantly, the project put eDNA technology in the hands of students, researchers, resource managers, businesses and other stakeholders through outreach and collaboration.

Read the full article at University of Maine

Scientists baffled by disturbing behavior shift in tuna — here’s what you need to know

August 21, 2025 — A researcher at the University of Maine’s Pelagic Fisheries Lab conducted a study about Atlantic bluefin tuna and observed surprising changes in the fish’s diet.

This prized species of fish is shifting away from eating herring and now consuming menhaden as its primary prey.

What’s happening?

As the university shared on Phys.org, researcher Sammi Nadeau published the study in the journal Marine Ecology Progress Series.

Atlantic herring in the Gulf of Maine have been dramatically declining in population. Without ample herring to eat, Atlantic bluefin tuna began eating another fatty pelagic fish, menhaden.

Menhaden is not only a primary food source now for Atlantic bluefin tuna but also an essential ingredient in commercial fish oils. Understanding how vital menhaden have become commercially and in the natural food chain, scientists are recommending fishing limits to reduce the burden on menhaden populations.

Read the full article at The Cool Down

Comparing the effectiveness of common Atlantic sea scallop farming methods

August 6, 2025 — Much of the scallop farming techniques used in the U.S. derive from practices in Japan, where scallops have long been a part of the country’s seafood industry. Researchers from the University of Maine are working to test and adapt those practices to help grow the industry in the Gulf of Maine, where oyster farming is currently the most well-known form of aquaculture in Maine’s blue economy.

Building off a four-year study published in the spring, which compared the effectiveness of two different Atlantic sea scallop farming techniques, UMaine researchers further analyzed the economic advantages and disadvantages of the same two methods of scallop aquaculture. Lead researcher Damian Brady, professor of marine sciences at UMaine, and co-author Chris Noren, a postdoctoral researcher, used their results to develop a user-friendly application that helps interested parties compare the different costs and possibilities associated with building their own scallop farms.

“Now new farmers can make educated decisions on what option is going to be most viable for them, taking into account their location, timeframe, budget and all the other pieces that go into scallop farming,” Brady said. “Ultimately, our goal is to help Maine grow this industry to its fullest potential and preserve Maine’s working waterfronts—an integral part of the state’s culture and history.”

Published in the journal Aquaculture, the study looked at two of the most common options for scallop farming: lantern net and ear-hanging. Previously, lantern net methods were thought to be more cost-effective, but this study shows the ways in which the ear-hanging method can be more cost-efficient over a longer period of time.

Read the full article at PHYS.org

MAINE: Maine Sea Grant helping state conserve Atlantic salmon

July 15, 2025 — Whether it’s through fish stocking, habitat restoration or research, the University of Maine-led Maine Sea Grant is helping the Maine Department of Marine Resources (DMR) conserve Atlantic salmon in the Gulf of Maine — the last wild populations of the species in the U.S.

Through a program offered by Maine Sea Grant and NOAA Fisheries that is now in its sixth year, paid summer interns have been working with the department on Atlantic salmon research and conservation for 13 weeks each summer — from Downeast Maine to the Kennebec and Penobscot River watersheds. They conduct field and lab work to support this endangered species and other sea-run fishes.

“The Maine Sea Grant internship program not only supports the restoration of sea-run fish like Atlantic salmon but also fosters a two-way exchange of knowledge with the department,” said Sean Ledwin, the director of DMR’s Bureau of Sea-Run Fisheries and Habitat. “The interns learn firsthand from experienced professionals in the field, while bringing fresh energy, new ideas and capacity to vital restoration efforts. This collaboration strengthens conservation outcomes and builds the next generation of marine scientists and stewards.”

“This program emphasizes collaborations and partnerships that expose students to different career paths to help conserve vital species and support Maine ecosystems, economies and cultures,” said Julia Hiltonsmith, a UMaine Sea Grant graduate assistant who mentors sea-run fish interns. “Guiding these interns through their fieldwork has not only deepened my appreciation for the dedication they’ve brought to conservation but also reinforced the importance of fostering collaboration and professional growth in the next generation of marine scientists.”

Since the Sea-Run Fish Internship Program launched in 2020, 12 students from UMaine and its regional campus, the University of Maine at Machias, have participated and conducted research and conservation work statewide for DMR, the United States Geological Survey, the Maine Department of Environmental Protection and the Penobscot Nation. Black Bear students, as well as participants from other universities, have gained hands-on learning experiences and professional development in science communication, which prepare them for in-demand careers in marine sciences and conservation.

Read the full article at University of Maine

MAINE: UMaine launches floating wind turbine prototype in Trenton

April 3, 2025 — The University of Maine has launched a quarter-scale prototype of a floating wind turbine base that researchers hope will pave the way for commercial-scale wind power development in the Gulf of Maine.

Project officials first sought to float the 380-ton floating concrete base for the prototype from the seaplane ramp at Bar Harbor Airport in Trenton on Sunday, but initially could not get it far enough down the ramp to get it to float when high tide peaked at around noon, according to Bar Harbor Story.

A later attempt, shortly after midnight, was successful, according to UMaine spokesperson Marcus Wolf.

Read the full article at Bangor Daily News

MAINE: Of the nearly three dozen Sea Grant programs, Maine’s seems to be the only one cut

March 4, 2025 — Maine appears to be the only state whose federal grant boosting research and economic development for coastal communities was terminated.

The University of Maine said it was notified late Friday that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration was immediately discontinuing funding for the $4.5 million Maine Sea Grant, said university spokesperson Samantha Warren.

The grant has helped finance statewide research, strengthened coastal communities, and supported thousands of jobs over more than five decades. However, the letter from NOAA said the grant’s work is “no longer relevant to the focus of the Administration’s priorities and program objectives.”

Maine’s Sea Grant program is one of 34 across coastal and Great Lakes states throughout the country. As of mid-Monday, the New Hampshire Sea Grant had not received a similar notice, said Director Erik Chapman. Similarly, Fiscal Officer Caroline Johnston was not aware of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Sea Grant receiving a notification about funding cuts.

Both Chapman and Warren said they were unaware of any program’s termination beyond Maine.

Pointing out that there is little information about the reasoning behind the cut, U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree argued in a statement that the decision shows President Donald Trump has a “personal vendetta against our state.” The funding cut came about a week after Trump threatened Gov. Janet Mills after a heated exchange over the state not complying with an executive order barring transgender students from competing in women’s athletics.

Read the full article at The Laconia Daily Sun

September 8-14 is #FindYourSeafoodWeek

September 3, 2024 — The following was released by the The Local Catch Network:

The Local Catch Network (LCN), based in the School of Marine Sciences at the University of Maine, is facilitating the fourth annual #FindYourSeafoodWeek (#FYSW) to connect community members directly with fishing families and seafood harvesters and to raise awareness of community-based fisheries across the United States and Canada.

Find Your Seafood Week is a social media campaign that runs from September 8-14 and increases the visibility of domestic seafood harvesters and businesses that participate in direct marketing — in other words, selling their catch directly to consumers, rather than relying on complex and often murky supply chains.
The initiative is focused on highlighting the importance of community-based fisheries in building resilient local and regional seafood systems. Through extensive data analysis and calculations, University of Maine researchers found the U.S. could achieve seafood independence (Oyikeke, 2024). “There is a tendency to forget that seafood is an integral part of the nation’s food system, but achieving greater seafood independence can improve equity, health and buffers from climate change,” said Joshua Stoll, UMaine associate professor of marine policy. For home cooks, and restaurants wanting to be part of the solution, knowing how to find and support community-based fisheries that provide high quality, sustainably-harvested seafood is critical to the behavior change necessary to move towards domestic seafood self-reliance.
“If we want to see our oceans thrive for generations to come, it is critical that we vote with our dollars when we access the seafood system,” says Laughton Elliott-DeAngelis, Local Catch Network Coordinator, “Using the LCN Seafood Finder allows families to bypass the mega-conglomerate grocery stores whose global supply chains are often environmentally unsustainable, fraught with human exploitation and harmful to ecosystems throughout the world. Seafood harvesters within the Local Catch Network align with a set of core values and practices which ensure a triple bottom line. Profits shouldn’t be made at the grave expense of people and the planet”
The Local Catch Network invites community members to join the “boat-to-fork” movement by using the Seafood Finder to learn more about community-based fishing businesses, the locations they operate, the number of fishermen they partner with, and the types of catch they offer during #FindYourSeafoodWeek and beyond.
For information on how to participate in #FindYourSeafoodWeek, check out our campaign toolkit and follow LCN on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
To access the Seafood Finder tool, visit https://finder.localcatch.org/.
About Local Catch Network
The Local Catch Network, based at the University of Maine, is an inclusive, values-based network of 500+ seafood harvesters, researchers, and community organizations from across North America. LCN members support and promote safe, direct, transparent and profitable “boat-to-fork” systems of local and regional seafood distribution, such as Community Supported Fisheries (CSFs) and similar models. Members of the Local Catch Network align with a set of core values that aim to create a higher level of accountability and trust, both internally within the network and externally to the public. LCN is governed by a volunteer Executive Committee responsible for supporting the growth and development of the network, with backbone support from the North American Marine Alliance. FMI: https://localcatch.org/.
For media inquires, contact Laughton Elliott-DeAngelis at info@localcatch.org

Transformation of ocean management is underway, study finds

May 12, 2024 — Marine ecosystem-based management (EBM) is a growing practice of ocean stewardship and conservation that offers benefits to the production of healthy, local food and the preservation of clean water, as well as recreation, habitation and storm protection in the Gulf of Maine and beyond.

Despite its benefits and recognition as a keystone practice of ocean stewardship and conservation, adoption of EBM has been slow to take hold. The first mention of EBM was included in U.S. fisheries management guidance documents more than 20 years ago.

Resource managers and policymakers need a proof-of-concept that this approach can occur incrementally with existing resources and tools. Previous management efforts have been implemented sector by sector focused on fisheries or navigation, but a transformation in ocean management to enable more ecosystem-based approaches is underway.

To support this change in ocean management, a group of researchers and practitioners, including University of Maine  professor Heather Leslie, have investigated the global progress of marine EBM initiatives.

Read the full article at PHYS.org