McGreavy, Hillyer moderate panel at Shellfish Focus Day, March 5

Bridie McGreavy and Gabby Hillyer listen to discussion during a panel they moderated at the 2020 Shellfish Focus Day

Dr. Bridie McGreavy, Mitchell Center faculty fellow and assistant professor of communication and journalism, and doctoral student Gabby Hillyer moderated a panel at the Maine Fishermen’s Forum’s Shellfish Focus Day on March 5 in Rockland. The panel, “Interdisciplinary Approaches to Shellfish Conservation and Improving Water Quality,” included shellfish managers from several towns who shared their successes, challenges, and knowledge gained.

The Mitchell Center’s Strengthening Coastal Economies project, launched in January 2017 as part of the Diana Davis Spencer Partnership for a Sustainable Maine, is connected to many of the presentations and discussions featured during Shellfish Focus Day.

Mcgreavy and Hillyer also discussed the Maine Shellfish Learning Network, which grew out of earlier phases of the Strengthening Coastal Economies project. This network brings together diverse stakeholders to build on existing knowledge and facilitate collaboration and communication among shellfish harvesters, coastal communities, researchers, state agencies, and other partners.