News and Events
September 27, 2021 Field Trip to Blue Hill Bay Mussels; 10:00am-1:30pm
RSVP Needed– Keri.kaczor@maine.edu
Please join us for a field trip to Evan Young’s Blue Hill Bay mussel farm near beautiful Mount Desert Island. Blue Hill Bay Mussels grows premium, rope-grown mussels including the beautiful and delicious Maine “Gold” mussels. We will be taking a boat to the Hardwood Island sea site and participants will learn more about the farm’s use of innovative remote settlement hatchery technology for rope-grown mussels. We will provide a light lunch followed by an opportunity visit the Blue Hill salt pond site. This will be an outdoor event with a limited number of people, so please be sure RSVP.
September 16, 2021 Preparing “gold” mussels, a unique Maine product; noon EST
Virtual option-Register HERE
In-person option: RSVP to keri.kaczor@maine.edu; location: Downeast Institute; 39 Wildflower Ln, Beals, ME
Please join us for a lunchtime cooking show to celebrate innovation and the delicious seafood products that resulted from investments made by the Alliance for Maine’s Marine Economy (Alliance), and see just how easy it is to prepare delicious Maine “gold” mussels! This is our fifth stop along our seafood cooking tour of Maine. Chef Robert Dumas will lead us on this culinary adventure along with Evan Young (Blue Hill Bay Mussels), Dianne Tilton and Kyle Pepperman (Downeast Institute). Meet the trail-blazing fisherman and farmer who sustainably raised them, catch a glimpse of the Downeast Institute (a state of the art hatchery and marine-research facility) and learn how to prepare this delicious and uniquely Maine seafood product. Join us and see how investments in new technologies, equipment and infrastructure are transforming Maine’s marine economy!
This is a hybrid event with a virtual and in person option. For those able to attend in person, there will be a light lunch provided followed by masked small-group tours of the Downeast Institute starting at 1:00 pm. You must RSVP to keri.kaczor@maine.edu if you intend on joining us in person on Sept. 16th.
This event is hosted by the Alliance for Maine’s Marine Economy, sponsored by the Maine Community Foundation, Maine Technology Institute, and supported by Alliance members. If you need an accommodation, please contact Keri Kaczor keri.kaczor@maine.edu by Monday September 13, 2021. Live closed captioning provided. https://www.captionedtext.com/client/event.aspx?EventID=4904745&Customer…confirmation number, 4904745.
Photo credit: Downeast Institute
August 26, 2021 The “King of Fish” Preparing Maine Atlantic Salmon: on the road with the Alliance; noon EST
Register HERE
Please join us for a virtual lunchtime cooking show to celebrate innovation and the delicious seafood products that resulted from investments made by the Alliance for Maine’s Marine Economy (Alliance), and see just how easy it is to prepare delicious Maine Atlantic salmon! This is our fourth stop along our seafood cooking tour of Maine.
Chef Rob Dumas will lead us on this culinary adventure along with Andrew Lively (Cooke Aquaculture). Hear how this vertically-integrated business ensures quality throughout each step of the process, from spawning eggs to processing and delivery, and learn a few different ways to prepare delicious Maine Atlantic salmon. Join us for this virtual “live” and interactive event and see how investments in new technologies, equipment and infrastructure are transforming Maine’s marine economy.
This event is hosted by the Alliance for Maine’s Marine Economy, sponsored by the Maine Community Foundation, Maine Technology Institute, and supported by Alliance members. If you need an accommodation, please contact Keri Kaczor keri.kaczor@maine.edu by Monday August 23, 2021. Live closed captioning provided. https://www.captionedtext.com/client/event.aspx?EventID=4860259&Customer…confirmation number, 4860259
Photo credit: Cooke Aquaculture
June 24, 2021 Preparing Maine Oysters and a tale of three farms: on the road with the Alliance; noon EST
Register HERE
Please join us for a lunchtime cooking show to celebrate the innovative seafood products that resulted from investments made by the Alliance for Maine’s Marine Economy (Alliance), and see just how easy it is to prepare delicious Maine oysters! This is our third stop along our seafood cooking tour of Maine.
Chef Rob Dumas will lead us on this culinary adventure along with oyster farmers Bill Mook (Mook Sea Farm), Boe Marsh and Zak Kuras (Community Shellfish), and Mike Gaffney and Noah Weiss (Eros Oyster/Georgetown Aquaculture). Hear what makes their oysters unique, and learn a few different ways to prepare delicious Maine oysters. Join us for this virtual “live” and interactive event and see how investments in new technologies, equipment and infrastructure are transforming Maine’s marine economy.
This event is hosted by the Alliance for Maine’s Marine Economy, sponsored by the Maine Community Foundation, Maine Technology Institute, and supported by Alliance members. If you need an accommodation, please contact Keri Kaczor keri.kaczor@maine.edu by Monday June 21, 2021. Live closed captioning provided. https://www.captionedtext.com/client/event.aspx?EventID=4817746&Customer…
confirmation number, 4817746.
Photo credit: Mook Sea Farm
May 27, 2021 Cooking Maine Sea Scallops: On the road with the Alliance; noon EST
Register HERE
Plea
se join us for a lunchtime cooking show to celebrate the innovative seafood products that resulted from investments by the Alliance for Maine’s Marine Economy (Alliance), and see just how easy it is to cook delicious Maine Seafood!
Coming to you live from Stonington, Maine, this is our second stop along our seafood cooking tour. Chef Rob Dumas will lead us on this culinary adventure preparing sea scallops, along with Togue Brawn, Marsden Brewer and Marnie Crowell. Made possible in part with support from the Alliance, whole farmed sea scallops are an innovative product with exciting culinary opportunities. Meet the trail-blazing fisherman and farmer who sustainably raised them, catch a glimpse of the beautiful Gulf of Maine, and learn how to prepare this delicious and versatile seafood product. Join us for this virtual and interactive event and see how investments in new technologies, equipment and infrastructure are transforming Maine’s marine economy.
This event is hosted by the Alliance for Maine’s Marine Economy, sponsored by the Maine Community Foundation, Maine Technology Institute, and supported by Alliance members. If you need an accommodation, please contact Keri Kaczor keri.kaczor@maine.edu by Monday May 24, 2021. Live closed captioning provided https://www.captionedtext.com/client/event.aspx?EventID=4791893&Customer…
confirmation number, 4791893
April 29, 2021 On the road with the Alliance: seafood cooking tour; 12:15-1pm
Please join us in celebrating the innovative seafood products created from the Alliance for Maine’s Marine Economy (Alliance) investments, and see just how easy it is to cook delicious Maine Seafood. This is our first stop along our seafood cooking tour of Maine! Curt Brown, Ready Seafood, and Chef Rob Dumas, UMaine Food Science Innovation, will demonstrate techniques for preparing Cold Cracked Lobster.™ Learn how investments in new technologies, equipment and infrastructure are transforming Maine’s marine economy during this virtual “live” and interactive event.
Created with High Pressure Processing technology – made possible with support from the Alliance – this innovative raw lobster product has endless culinary opportunities. Learn more about this versatile, delicious item, and catch a glimpse of Ready Seafood’s state of the art facility. On a mission to innovate Maine food, former White House chef and American Culinary Federation -certified Executive Chef Rob will lead us on the culinary adventure. This event is hosted by the Alliance for Maine’s Marine Economy, and sponsored by Maine Community Foundation and the Maine Technology Institute.
If you need an accommodation, please contact Keri Kaczor keri.kaczor@maine.edu by Monday April 26, 2021. Live closed captioning provided https://www.captionedtext.com/client/event.aspx?EventID=4754891&Customer…confirmation number, 475489
Image courtesy of Ready Seafood
February 28, 2020 Alliance Field Trip to Ready Seafood, Saco, Maine; 10:30am-12:30pm
RSVP:to keri.kaczor@maine.edu
Please join us for a tour of Ready Seafood’s
state of the art 52,000 square foot lobster processing facility. The Alliance for Maine’s Marine Economy investment supported high pressure processing (HPP) technology that increases meat yield, enables the production of raw lobster meat, and triples the shelf-life of fresh lobster. This technology enables Ready Seafood to pursue expanded markets for their highest value product. The HPP machine is a cornerstone of their new facility, allowing Ready Seafood to process more lobster in Maine while creating new lobster products and full-time year round jobs. Participants will also learn about R & D efforts that improve conditions for lobsters stored at their facility, as well as efforts to enhance understanding of the distribution and abundance of lobsters into the future. Lunch will be provided.
November 14, 2019 Alliance Fall Forum, Darling Marine Center, Walpole, ME.
Join us for an event that supports innovation and entrepreneurship in Maine’s marine economy by providing an opportunity for new collaborations, learning and adoption of best practices across the sector. We will start with the Alliance’s semi-annual business meeting at 10:00 am, followed by lunch, feature grantee presentations from Luke’s Lobster/Cape Seafood, Georgetown Aquaculture, and UMaine’s Aquatic Animal Health Laboratory, and will close with a discussion with Bruce Wagner (FAME) on the state’s economic development strategy, how it relates to the marine economy, and ways the Alliance can get involved. For more information, contact keri.kaczor@maine.edu
September 13, 2019 Field Trip to Port Clyde/Tenants Harbor was a blast!
We had another great field trip on Friday Sept. 13th to Port Clyde and Tenants Harbor where participants learned about the challenges and opportunities facing local groundfishermen, and innovative projects and partnerships driving economic activity to the shore. Thank you to our gracious and generous sponsors of this event: Tenants Harbor Fisherman’s Co-op/Maine Aquaculture Co-op/ Luke’s Lobster. Also, to Justin Libby and Ben Martens for hosting us at the Port Clyde Fisherman’s Co-op. Stay tuned for more industry field days in 2020!
June 24, 2019 Alliance field trip to Cooke Aquaculture, a great success!
On June 24th, the Alliance for Maine’s Marine Economy brought together over 20 representatives from marine businesses, non-profit organizations, congressional staff, students, resource managers and others dedicated to the growth of a vibrant marine economy in Maine for a tour of Cooke Aquaculture’s operations in East Machiasport. The group visited Cooke Aquaculture’s Gardner Lake fresh-water hatchery, sea farm including a tour of the Alliance for Maine’s Marine Economy- supported central feeding system that maximizes storage, feeding efficiency and employee safety, as well as the company’s neighboring processing plant. Participants learned about the various steps in Cooke’s process from spawning eggs to processing mature, marketable salmon, as well as other innovative, research and development efforts being employed.
March 28, 2019 Alliance field trip to Mook Sea Farm was amazing, thank you to Bill and Meredith for a great day!
This past spring Alliance members gathered for a tour of Mook Sea Farm’s state of the art oyster hatchery and oyster holding facility. The Alliance for Maine Marine Economy investment supported construction and set-up of a new Oyster Inventory Room (OIR) to maintain 500,000 market sized oysters, a packing and shipping area capable of handling 100,000 oysters per week, and a greatly expanded microalgae production space. The OIR completely isolates the market-sized oysters from the Damariscotta River and associated rainfall closures. Participants also learned about other R &D efforts that improve conditions, and increase capacity and yields on the farm.
June 22, 2018 Open House for the Aquatic Animal Health Lab, Orono Maine.
The Alliance’s investment enabled the construction of this high-level biosafety laboratory to study fish pathogens and help minimize health risks to Maine’s wild and farmed fish stocks
27-28 July 2018, Practical Seaweed Farmer’s Conference and Maine Seaweed Fair, Rockland Maine.
The Alliance’s capital grants program supported Springtide Seaweed, LLC for the creation of a new seaweed exchange that will assist new and existing growers and expand Maine’s seaweed production.
The Practical Seaweed Farmer Conference will take place Friday, July 27, 2018 at the Strand Theater in Rockland, ME.The conference is open to existing, new, or interested seaweed farmers, or anyone curious about learning more. For more information, visit http://www.maineseaweedexchange.com/seaweed-farmer-conference.
The Maine Seaweed Fair will take place on Saturday, July 28th, 2018, at Snow Marine Park in Rockland, ME. This one-day free event on the coast of Maine will celebrate all things seaweed. For more information, visit http://www.maineseaweedexchange.com/seaweed-fair
August 11, 2018 Downeast Institute’s Ribbon Cutting Celebration, Beals, Maine.
The new construction of laboratory and business incubation space at the marine science field station of the University of Maine at Machias will be an innovation hub for fishermen, scientists and students. In addition to the Clam Flying Contest, and local music and food, DEI will also be providing tours of the new facility. For more information, visit: http://www.downeastinstitute.org
Alliance for Maine’s Marine Economy invests over $14 million in infrastructure projects to increase jobs
The Alliance for Maine’s Marine Economy, a consortium of Maine-based marine businesses, research institutions and educational organizations, is investing in infrastructure and technologies with $7 million in voter-approved bond funds, matched by more than $7 million from Alliance members.
Led by the University of Maine, the Alliance is dedicated to ensuring that Maine seafood, fishing and aquaculture industries, and the natural ecosystems on which they depend, are healthy and benefit Maine people. These strategic investments support and diversify traditional fisheries, aquaculture and other marine-dependent industries.
“We are proud of our leadership role in this new alliance,” says University of Maine President Susan J. Hunter. “UMaine is building on its statewide collaborations with all of the marine sectors. We look forward to further leveraging our research and development, multiplying our partnerships through the Alliance for Maine’s Marine Economy, and continuing to train our students to enter this workforce.”
On behalf of the state of Maine, the Maine Technology Institute (MTI) manages the finances of the Marine Economy and Jobs Bond. In partnership with the Alliance, MTI has invested in seven capital projects and awarded eight competitive capital grants.
Capital investments in public institutions and private businesses will benefit the entire marine sector by facilitating business development, accelerating product innovation, assessing and preventing risks to resource health, forecasting changes in product supply and improving the value of Maine’s seafood resources. These investments include new processing capabilities at seafood businesses in York, Cumberland, Lincoln, Knox, Hancock and Washington counties, and new R&D and commercialization facilities in Lincoln, Penobscot and Washington counties.
Maine’s marine businesses will benefit from resources, technical assistance, information, educational opportunities, business training and capital that will allow them to grow and thrive in the face of ever-changing ocean ecosystem and globalized economy.
“The Alliance’s capital investment enabled my business to develop and purchase lobster processing equipment to create innovative lobster products. This helped us establish relationships with new customers and expand markets, and allowed us to process more Maine lobster here in the state, with more Maine labor,” says Luke Holden, owner of Luke’s Lobster.
The Alliance is a developing initiative focused on emerging opportunities and challenges related to a productive and profitable marine economy. In the long term, the Alliance is committed to stimulating Maine’s marine economy at all levels. Alliance partners have identified projects and contracts aimed at attracting at least another $50 million in additional private sector and federal grant dollars over the next 10 years.
“Above and beyond these capital investments, the Alliance’s diverse partners share resources and lessons learned, as well as work together to solve problems and identify new opportunities for the Alliance to contribute to a vibrant future for Maine’s marine economy” says Keri Kaczor, the newly hired Alliance coordinator with Maine Sea Grant at the University of Maine.
More information on the Alliance is available online or by contacting Alliance Coordinator Keri Kaczor, office: 207.832.0343; cell: 207.215.3511; keri.kaczor@maine.edu; 377 Manktown Road, Waldoboro, Maine 04572; or Alliance chair Heather Leslie, cell: 207.350.2713; heather.leslie@maine.edu; Darling Marine Center, 193 Clarks Cove Road, Walpole, Maine 04573.
March 3, 2018
Please join us at the free seminar, Maine’s Seafood Economy: Investments in the Future, featuring some of the Alliance’s initiatives at the Maine Fishermen’s Forum in Rockport on Saturday March 3 at 10:30 a.m.
MTI and the Alliance for Maine’s Marine Economy Award $1,747,302 Supporting Growth and Innovation in Maine’s Traditional Fisheries, Aquaculture and Seafood-Related Companies and Institutions
December 14, 2017
Brunswick, ME – The Maine Technology Institute (MTI) approved eight awards from the Marine Economy Capital Grants Program (MECG) enabled by the Alliance for Maine’s Marine Economy through the Marine Economy and Jobs bond that MTI manages on behalf of the State of Maine. See the full press release and related coverage in the Portland Press Herald.
Alliance members played an important role in bringing this program into fruition, by envisioning this program as part of our initial collective work through the proposal submitted to the state in Dec. 2015; by participating as members of the MTI Program Committee; and by serving on the committee that drafted the RFP earlier this year.
MTI Announces the First Round of Alliance for Maine’s Marine Economy Capital Grants Program
April 19, 2017