For more information please visit our Green Sea Urchin Aquaculture page, or contact Luz by email at luz.kogson@maine.edu

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The pandemic brought a halt to travel in 2020, but it didn’t stop 20 of our littlest lumpfish from relocating to Utah this past July. These lucky lumps traveled overnight from our facility in Franklin, Maine to the in Draper, Utah, located just on the outskirts of Salt Lake City. 

Loveland Living Planet Aquarium is an AZA accredited, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with a mission to inspire people to explore, discover, and learn about Earth’s diverse ecosystems. It is home to more than 650 aquatic animal species, representing the vast range of aquatic life on our planet.

Just like visitors coming to Maine in 2020, these lovely lumps entered quarantine upon arrival in Utah. 91���� a month later they emerged from isolation, happy and healthy, and were introduced to their new home in the aquarium’s , a habitat that showcases the depths of the world’s oceans. They’ve been on display for several months now, loving life with their new tank mates, sea anemones and giant isopods, and are doing their part to educate the public about the benefits of lumpfish aquaculture.

These fish were hatched and reared cooperatively in 2019 by members of the .

The post Aquaculture Ambassadors from CCAR Find a New Home in Utah appeared first on Center for Cooperative Aquaculture Research.

Meetings

The discussion topics for each meeting are decided by youth, guided by their interests, expertise, and questions! This is a laid-back group, with rolling registration, and flexibility to join the meetings when it works for you.

Participant Responsibilities and Expectations

• Come with an open mind to experiential learning in a virtual setting
• Be respectful and participate fully in the program
• Be ready to make new friends and share your love for aquatic plants and animals
• Adult supervision is expected for all virtual meetings

Interested?

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Prior experience with aquaponics is not required to participate. The program leaders will mentor youth through the stages of designing and building an aquaponics system through maintenance and harvest. Youth complete their project independently at home (with adult supervision), but they are also members of a state-wide group of youth who are participating in the project together. The group will meet regularly via Zoom from July – October 2020 (schedule is below). Youth do not have to be currently enrolled in 4-H, but will enroll when beginning this project. The project is open to youth from any county in Maine.

What is Aquaponics?

Aquaponics is a type of farming that combines raising fish in tanks (aquaculture) and growing plants without soil (hydroponics). In an aquaponics system, the plants use nutrient-rich water from the fish tank while purifying the water for the fish. Aquaponic farming can be done year-round, indoors, and in any climate. It is a fun and different way to grow your own food that is safe, easy, and fresh!

Participant Responsibilities and Expectations

• Come with an open mind to experiential learning in a virtual setting
• Be respectful and participate fully in the program
• Adult supervision at home is expected for all project-related activities
• Obtain the necessary equipment and supplies (materials/parts lists will be provided and small grants may be available)
• Adapt, secure, or construct an appropriate aquaponics system to house fish and plants
• Perform tasks necessary to care for living plants and animals (husbandry, gardening, water quality testing, systems check, etc)
• Keep records as directed by program leaders
• Report and present on the outcome of the project
• Take on a leadership role in an area of your interest
• Abide by all 91���� and State/Federal safety guidelines (this may include some restrictions due to COVID-19)
• This project will require a small financial investment and time commitment from parents/guardians for their child to begin this project.

91���� Extension and 91���� CCAR will provide aquaponics project-related information to all participants; provide educational experiences related to the project such as webinars, hands-on activities, virtual tours, etc.; arrange for the purchasing of materials from reliable sources; check-in with participants on a regular basis; and respond quickly to questions and issues related to the project.

Schedule

• Wednesday, July 8 | 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. | Introduction to the 4-H At-Home Aquaponics Project
• Wednesday, July 15 | 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. | Designing and Building Aquaponics Systems
• Wednesday, July 22 | 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. | Fish Husbandry and Aquaponic Gardening
• Wednesday, August 5 | 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. | Aquaponics Food Systems and Virtual Tours
• Wednesday, August 19 | 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. | Harvesting and Cooking
• Week of September 14  | exact date and time TBD based on participant schedules | Service Projects
• Week of October 5  | exact date and time TBD based on participant schedules | Project Records and Presentations

*exact schedule is subject to change and based on progress through each topic.

Apply by June 29, 2020; space is limited to 10 participants, ages 9-18 from any county in Maine. Please contact us with any questions.

If there are any barriers that would prevent you from participating in this program, please contact Carla Scocchi, 4-H Professional, carla.scocchi@maine.edu, to discuss your needs. We are committed to making 4-H programs accessible to all youth.

91���� is an EEO/AA employer and does not discriminate on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, transgender status, gender expression, national origin, citizenship status, age, disability, genetic information or veteran’s status in employment, education, and all other programs and activities. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies:  Director of Equal Opportunity, 101 North Stevens Hall, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469-5754, 207.581.1226, TTY 711 (Maine Relay System).

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Big congratulations to CCAR/4-H aquaculture intern and George Stevens Academy junior, Hannah Dyer. Hannah spent her spring break and two-weeks of her high school’s at CCAR working on a project for the .

Her project titled: How Does Food Type Influence Larval Development in the Green Sea Urchin? placed 2^nd in her category, Animal Sciences- Nutrition and Development.

With the help of CCAR’s staff, Hannah learned how to spawn green sea urchins (S. droebachiensis) and rear their larvae. She tested two larval diets, CCAR’s live microalgae blend and a formulated microalgae paste, in hopes of determining whether a formulated microalgae paste could be a suitable replacement for the live microalgae currently used to produce sea urchins at CCAR.

Hannah also won a special award from the Acadia Institute of Oceanography, a full scholarship to their this summer.

Last summer, Hannah was one of seven 4-H/CCAR high school interns who spent eight weeks at CCAR working with yellowtail kingfish and learning all about aquaculture. Her curiosity for marine science and aquaculture shines through to everyone who has had the pleasure of working with her. This girl’s going places!

Check out all of the projects from students representing high schools all over Maine in the . These teens are Maine’s future!

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This summer CCAR, along with Hancock County 4-H, had the pleasure of hosting seven high schoolers from four area schools as interns. The goal of the internship was for the students to learn about aquaculture and develop an innovative way to demonstrate sustainable aquaculture to the public through a 4-H exhibit at the Blue Hill Fair. The students spent eight weeks at CCAR learning about recirculating aquaculture systems, fish husbandry, engineering, and business. During their internship they visited two of Maine’s aquaculture businesses,  and the . and learned about conservation aquaculture through a behind-the-scenes tour of . To better facilitate their project the interns formed committees that focused on five areas of public engagement, these included communications, food, t-shirts, kids, and fish 101. In the end they developed creative, interactive ways of communicating what sustainable aquaculture is to the general public.

We’re sad the internship had to end, but we wish our interns luck as they embark upon the new school year!

Heron is a sophomore at the . He loves all things fish; catching fish, cooking fish, eating fish… if fish are involved, he’s there. As co-chair of the food committee he was key in developing the plan for grilled farmed fish samples at the fair. He is also very handy, making two wooden fish puzzles and a halibut shaped cookie cutter during his internship.

Max is a sophomore at MDI High School. He loves to draw so he put his skills to use by creating a fin-tastic fish maze for the public to enjoy at the Blue Hill Fair. He’s an excellent caretaker of the yellowtail, always paying close attention to detail.

Mei Mei is a senior at Mount Desert Island High School and lives on Swans Island. She is passionate about learning, lobstering, and protecting Maine’s coastlines from the invasive green crab. As co-chair of the fish 101 committee Mei Mei did a fantastic job teaching the public about fish anatomy and butchery at the fair.

Hannah is a junior at George Stevens Academy in Blue Hill. As co-chair of the internship’s food committee she was responsible for organizing the group’s food related activities at the fair. This included long hours spent preparing cookies and a cake with Blake and Heron. The cake, designed to look like a fish and decorated with the yellowtail’s lifecycle to fit the “Seeds for Success” theme, took third place in the 4-H cake contest at the fair.

Blake is a senior at RSU 24 Adult Education in Sullivan. She is a natural when it comes to aquaculture, with a special knack for water quality analysis. At the fair she was the group’s representative during the cake judging contest showing off her public speaking skills when describing their entry to the crowd of spectators.

Jenee is a senior at Mount Desert Island High School. As the photo on the left suggests, throughout the internship she encouraged the group to come together and work as a team. As co-chair of the communications committee she was responsible for organizing the production of the group’s eye-catching display at the fair. She’s also a natural with kids and played a big part in overseeing the children’s activities during the fair.

Ryan is a sophomore at Mount Desert Island High School and was the group’s jack of all trades. As the chair of the kids committee he helped plan the wide range of children’s activities that were offered at the fair.

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This FREE Algal Culture Extension Short-course (ACES) is the extension/outreach component of the Algae Technology Education Consortium (ATEC). Part 1 covers Macroalgae and is designed for those in commercial marine industries seeking to learn the basic skills to grow seaweeds. Marine Agronomy offers commercial fishermen, lobstermen, finfish and shellfish farmers the opportunity to grow seaweeds adding a second income stream to their endeavors.

The seaweed course is an online compendium of videos chosen and newly created to give a thorough initiation into the culture of various commercial seaweeds, including kelps, for those interested in getting started in algal-based aquaculture. The course includes:  a large number of videos produced by several New England Sea Grant programs, international content and guided PowerPoint presentations.  Additionally, newly created videos include: covering industry pioneers; history of wild harvesting and culturing macroalgae; seaweed products; longline setting; harvesting methods; drying techniques; conversations about peoples’ experiences in seaweed culture; and the permitting process. There are several longer webinars and pdf documents about algae culture that can be downloaded.

ACES is a free on-line curriculum that covers both the U.S. perspective as well as inclusion of seaweed culture around the world.  This course includes 53 online videos and 17 publications.

Improve your skill set and techniques required for this industry.

Register today!

Click here or register at the ATEC website

Contact info: Ira Levine ilevine@maine.edu or Gef Flimlin flimlin@scarletmail.rutgers.edu

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This summer the University of Maine’s Center for Cooperative Aquaculture Research, with funding from Maine EPSCoR/SEANET, in partnership with will be hosting an eight week paid aquaculture internship for youth entering grades 10-12.

For more information about this opportunity or to apply please visit:

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This past Friday 550 of Maine’s 7^{�ٳ���}and 8^{�ٳ���}graders convened at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor for the 5^{�ٳ���}annual Maine Science Festival’s Friday Field Trip Day.  Some traveled from as far away as Eastport and Presque Isle to join in on the festivities.  CCAR hosted an interactive table showcasing sustainable aquaculture.  Our touch tank was brimming with critters from the coast of Maine for all to enjoy.  and , two fantastic local businesses that support sustainable aquaculture, joined us for the event.

American Unagi’s freshwater eels were a big hit with the kids.  The most common question of the day was, “Are they electric?” to which American Unagi’s eel aquaculture technician Kathleen Marciano replied, “Not these eels.”  But if the participants really wanted to learn more about electricity, they simply had to visit GE Power’s activity a couple of tables over.

Maine Coast Sea Vegetables provided samples of a variety of their products for festivalgoers to try.  The Kelp Krunch Bars were a crowd pleaser for sure!

In addition to our table of touch and taste, students had the opportunity to explore a wide variety of activities that included engineering demonstrations provided by , computer science education from , and the opportunity to get up close and personal with a tuna and shark hosted by the University of Maine’s School of Marine Sciences.

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With a mission to “provide intellectual stimulation, practical knowledge, social interaction and fun for persons 50 years of age or older” the Senior College at Belfast has spent the past 18 years hosting programs, classes, and special events for local seniors. The college is currently based out of University of Maine’s Hutchinson Center where they offer a wide variety of classes throughout the year during four seasonal terms.

The Belfast community has a particular interest in land-based fish farming as , a Norwegian based firm, has proposed that a large-scale recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) Atlantic salmon facility be built in Belfast. Students who took the course were eager to learn all about the history of aquaculture, its benefits and downsides, and all that’s involved in the operation of a large-scale RAS facility.

Click for more information about the Senior College at Belfast.

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