Down East magazine cites Morse, Schmitt in post about Maine oysters
Professionals with the Maine Sea Grant College Program at the University of Maine were cited in a Down East magazine post featuring facts about Maine oysters. According to Dana Morse, an aquaculture specialist, there are 75 oyster farmers in the state, and the number has been on the rise for years. It takes about 18 months for the average Maine oyster to grow large enough to harvest, the article states. “Due to their superior quality, nearly all of Maine’s oysters go to the raw or half-shell market,” said Catherine Schmitt, communications director for Maine Sea Grant. The article also stated that Herb Hidu, a UMaine professor and a founding father of the Maine aquaculture industry, started experimenting with oyster cultivation on the Damariscotta River in 1972.