Center for Cooperative Aquaculture Research

Located at the CCAR we have one of the most extensive facilities available to aquaculture businesses anywhere. The facilities are available both to established companies looking to diversify or test new ideas and also to those companies in the start up phase. Industry partners may want to use a few tanks for a few days or weeks to carry out specific trials or whole building for multi-year projects. The facilities can be used to test out processes and new products for aquaculture. Unlike other business parks, aquaculture business incubation facilities need supplies of filtered fresh water and sea water, discharge capacity, water treatment, storage and distribution systems and various types of buildings designed specifically for aquaculture systems equipped with complex climate control systems, tanks, filters etc.

In addition, there are a number of permits required for land based aquaculture operations. At the CCAR, we have all this in one facility. We also have an experienced staff with knowledge of rearing technologies, holding systems, growout and hatchery design etc. Our staff can assist companies during their tenancy at the CCAR which means that companies that may not yet have the manpower or expertise can draw on our resources to run their projects in the early phases of the business development.

We are one of the foremost facilities for marine recirculation technology and have one of the most advanced marine fish hatcheries in the country. We have the capacity to supply the industry with a number of species of marine fish or invertebrate juveniles, for example Atlantic halibut, Atlantic cod, green sea urchins and polychaete worms.

In addition, typically, we will assist industry partners in applying for outside funding for their R&D projects and will help design and manage R&D projects from basic research, all the way through to design of full scale commercial farms. As part of the University of Maine’s Department of Industrial Cooperation and in cooperation with the Maine Aquaculture Innovation Center, we are also well equipped to help companies develop their business plans, find a site for commercial operations, develop and protect intellectual property, put together a management team, secure investment capital, and to go commercial.