Project Description Consumer demand for products is often the driving force behind innovation; however, lack of consumer demand or product boycotts may force closure of existing markets. Maine seafood currently enjoys a widespread consumer base. The knowledge, preferences and attitudes of consumers towards Maine seafood products produced by aquaculture is currently unknown. Further, Maine’s coastal […]
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Project Description Understanding storm surge behaviors in estuaries can help communities better locate aquaculture farms, as well as design aquaculture-inspired adaptation measures (e.g., kelp “curtains”) to protect infrastructure. To date, researchers have relied on models to represent idealized scenarios of storm surge behavior; however, without observations to capture how storm surge behaves inside an estuary, […]
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Project Description Scientific and technological advances over the past three decades have made American aquaculture production increasingly environmentally sustainable and economically viable: a source of local jobs and affordable food. Yet, a legacy of environmental and human health concerns, and current controversy surrounding siting operations and the use of genetically modified species, suggest that perceived […]
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Project Description Social acceptance is a major component in slowing the growth of the U.S. marine aquaculture industry. One of the principal concerns that is frequently heard during lease hearings, is that property values will be adversely affected if a nearby aquaculture farm is allowed to develop. Unfortunately, there are few, if any, analyses of […]
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Project Description In recent years, there has been considerable growth in collaborative research, stemming from the need for solutions to grapple with complex societal problems. The need to improve the scientific basis for decision-making and sustainability science elevates the role of research collaborations and communication among scientists and stakeholders in developing solutions. More often than […]
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Project Description This project contributes to understanding vulnerabilities, assets, and perceptions as they relate to the adoption of sustainable ecological aquaculture in Maine. Researchers aim to understand the factors that lead to the adoption of aquaculture in Maine. The project examines adoption via a study of aquaculture training programs and the documentation of individual experiences […]
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Project Description The primary focus of this project was to determine the effects of green crab predation on soft shell clams in Biddeford Pool. By using an experimental design for field-based manipulation of predator exclusion, the results of green crab predation on soft shell clams were quantified through survivorship rates between several different experimental scenarios. […]
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Project Description This study assesses the market integration of domestically produced and imported catfish products in the United States. In 2003, the US adopted legislation that established anti-dumping tariffs for Vietnamese catfish products entering the country. One goal of this analysis is to determine how these tariffs have impacted the relationship between foreign and domestically […]
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Project Description This project examined the economic contribution of Maine’s aquaculture industry. The analysis was based on data collected from a survey conducted by the University of Maine Aquaculture Research Institute, Maine Aquaculture Association, and Maine Aquaculture Innovation Center. Data from the survey along with an economic impact model for the state of Maine were […]
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Project Description The coast of Maine is highly variable in terms of both geomorphology and levels of coastal development. Among SEANET bioregions, the Saco-Casco Bay areas have the highest human population density in the state. The Cobscook Region (Downeast) has little coastal development and low population densities. Understanding the detailed circulation patterns and consequent temperature, […]
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