Mainebiz interviews Hamlin about sea lice, salmon farming research
Heather Hamlin, an associate professor of aquaculture at the University of Maine, spoke with Mainebiz about her recently funded research on ways to address the issue of sea lice in salmon farming. Hamlin, Deborah Bouchard and Ian Bricknell of UMaine’s Aquaculture Research Institute were awarded $725,365 by National Sea Grant College, a program of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The project will address gaps in knowledge of sea lice biology and control methods, such as integrated pest management, and new, ecologically sensitive chemical compounds and their effects on nontarget species, such as lobsters, according to the article. “We want to convene all kinds of stakeholders — commercial producers, regulators and scientists all together in one place,” she said. “We want to facilitate change and in a collaborative way.” NOAA Sea Grant also awarded $692,216 to fund development and use of new high-resolution satellite technology expected to promote productive and sustainable oyster, scallop and mussel aquaculture, Mainebiz reported. The study will be led by Damian Brady and Emmanuel Boss of UMaine’s School of Marine Sciences.