Center for Cooperative Aquaculture Research (CCAR)

The Center for Cooperative Aquaculture Research (CCAR) was founded as an aquaculture research and development facility to address industry needs at industry scale. Located on Taunton Bay in Franklin, Maine, CCAR’s extensive facilities include marine hatcheries, where juvenile fish, invertebrates, and sea vegetables are propagated for research and industry. The center also serves as an aquaculture business incubator, where entrepreneurs can get help with their business plans, find a site for their operations, secure investment capital, engage in research and development, design full-scale commercial aquaculture farms, and utilize our hatchery services. CCAR is a resource for new and established companies, students and faculty, as well as fishermen trying to rebuild natural stocks.

American Unagi

American Unagi, a land-based eel aquaculture farm and longtime business incubator tenant at UMaine’s Center for Cooperative Aquaculture Research (CCAR), has graduated from that space into a newly built 27,000 square foot facility in Waldoboro.

The company’s new headquarters, which employs a recirculating aquaculture system to raise juvenile American eels (called elvers) to adulthood in indoor tanks, is notable for its size and its product. With a goal to produce more than 500,000 pounds of American eel annually, it is the first eel-growing facility of its scale in the United States, and founder Sara Rademaker has built her brand around offering a traceable, responsibly raised alternative to eels imported from Asia.

American Unagi was founded in 2014, and Rademaker started growing her first eels in tanks in her basement. She quickly outgrew that setup, transitioning the following year to an incubator space coordinated by the Maine Aquaculture Innovation Center at the University of Maine’s Darling Marine Center in Walpole. From there, she moved to the business incubator in 2018 at UMaine’s CCAR in Franklin, which allowed her to scale up production and prepare to transition to her custom-built facility in Waldoboro.

The ability to both build her business incrementally and plug in to Maine’s expanding aquaculture network have helped Rademaker prepare American Unagi for its next chapter.

“I tapped into every single resource that I could, and at each phase of my company’s growth those connections have helped with different needs,” Rademaker said. “There are many business resources in Maine that can support you in market research, or proof of concept, and as your business grows, you end up having a support system and network that builds long term resilience into your business.”

CCAR’s Education and Workforce Development

Fostering connections between youth and Maine’s aquaculture industry has been a core focus of aquaculture workforce development at CCAR. The center’s active participation in developing the 4-H Aquaponics Project has been crucial in achieving this goal. Since its inception, the 4-H Aquaponics Project has expanded access to aquaculture education opportunities for Maine’s youth and generated an increase in:

  1. Raising awareness and enhancing understanding of the aquaculture industry and its related technologies.
  2. Enriching knowledge about potential aquaculture careers.
  3. Inspiring aspirations toward careers in aquaculture.
  4. Building knowledge about innovative aquaculture systems.
  5. Strengthening the capacity for delivering high-quality aquaculture education.

Since its establishment, this program has directly engaged over 400 youth and educators across the state. Graduates of the 4-H Aquaponics Project have transitioned into influential roles, serving as youth ambassadors for aquaculture. Some have transitioned into peer leadership roles, helping to deliver 4-H aquaculture curriculum at community events, while others dive deeper into career exploration by participating in job shadowing and internship opportunities at CCAR.

CCAR has maintained its role as a leader in recirculating aquaculture systems in Maine and beyond through the development of virtual and hands-on programming for both formal and informal education spaces. The center hosts on-site tours, workshops, and interactive field trips for learners of all ages and abilities. The site, along with its industry partners, has become an invaluable resource for undergraduate education, regularly providing opportunities for students in the School of Marine Sciences and the School of Food and Agriculture. In addition, the center provides employment and mentorship opportunities for undergraduate students, equipping them with the necessary skills for future careers in Maine’s blue economy.