Local Catch Network will lead outreach, co-host informational sessions and gather industry input to help shape national seafood strategy.

American fishermen, aquaculture producers, processors and seafood businesses now have a path for improved access to federal funding, technical assistance and new markets through a national collaboration involving the , based at the University of Maine.

An agreement between the and 91���� enables the network to help the recently created connect with fishing communities and better integrate seafood businesses into federal programs and services.

The Local Catch Network will lead industry outreach, host educational webinars and listening sessions, and gather recommendations from seafood harvesters, processors and distributors. The collaboration is intended to strengthen domestic seafood production and processing, support coastal economies and make more American seafood available to consumers.

Established in 2011, the Local Catch Network supports local and community-based seafood systems through technical assistance, business development, research and knowledge exchange. Its more than 2,500 members represent fishing communities across North America. 

The network’s growth and capacity have been supported in part by $2 million in congressionally directed spending secured in 2022 by U.S. Sen. Susan Collins. 

“Despite 50 years of progress and recognition that aquatic and marine foods make important contributions to the food and nutrition needs of the nation, ,” said Joshua Stoll, Local Catch Network co-founder and associate professor of marine policy in the School of Marine Sciences. “The Office of Seafood has the potential to be an important course correction that would not only benefit fishing communities and seafood harvesters but also the millions of Americans who stand to gain from the benefits of increasing access to some of the nation’s most nutritious and delicious foods.”

Connecting seafood businesses with USDA programs

The USDA Office of Seafood was announced April 15 following President Donald Trump’s executive order, “Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness,” and the passage of federal appropriations legislation.

The office is responsible for coordinating seafood-related work across USDA agencies and helping fishermen and seafood businesses access grants, loans, conservation programs and other services. Its creation marked the first time USDA had established an office focused exclusively on seafood.

Through the agreement, the Local Catch Network will host virtual webinars describing USDA programs available to seafood harvesters, processors and distributors. It will also organize listening sessions where industry members can share concerns, expectations and ideas directly with the Office of Seafood.

“Following the initial announcement of the Office of Seafood, the USDA received hundreds of direct inquiries from domestic seafood harvesters seeking clarity on program eligibility and calling for a targeted seafood marketing strategy,” said Michael Illenberg, interim director of the Office of Seafood. “This new agreement directly addresses those needs, serving as a pivotal step to fully integrate seafood harvesting, processing, and distribution into existing USDA programs and services.”

Bringing industry voices into federal strategy

A national trade panel at the 2026 Pacific Marine Expo in Seattle will provide another opportunity for federal officials to engage with commercial harvesters, seafood businesses and other industry leaders. The network will compile the feedback from these activities into a report outlining the seafood sector’s priorities and recommendations.

“This collaboration helps ensure that industry voices remain at the heart of the America First Seafood Strategy, setting clear expectations for support while building a competitive, fair and resilient future for American seafood producers,” said Jessica Gribbon Joyce, Local Catch Network program manager.

USDA is also working with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and other federal agencies to develop a broader national seafood strategy. The effort aims to increase domestic processing capacity, promote U.S. fishery and aquaculture products, educate consumers about the health benefits of seafood and increase seafood purchases through federal nutrition programs.

Serving the seafood sector

The agreement expands 91����’s role in supporting the national seafood sector. As Maine’s land-grant university, 91���� contributes expertise in marine science, fisheries, aquaculture, seafood processing, workforce development and coastal community engagement.

Stoll and researchers from the Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association previously examined USDA’s history of grant funding for the seafood sector. Their analysis helped document gaps in federal support and demonstrate the need to incorporate seafood businesses more fully into USDA programs.

“The USDA and NOAA play an important role in building a resilient seafood sector. Combining access to USDA funding with NOAA’s regulatory oversight offers our fishing communities an opportunity to expand domestic and global access to some of the best seafood on the planet at a critical inflection point for many community-based fishing businesses,” said Elizabeth Dubovsky, strategy director for the Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association and a co-author of the USDA funding analysis.

Interested parties can sign up for notifications of these Office of Seafood events, outreach, and reports hosted by .

Contact: Jessica Hathaway, jessica.hathaway@maine.edu

91���� is a lead partner in a new that will strengthen New England’s seafood industry through cutting-edge research, technology innovation and workforce development.

The NSF Seafood Engine in New England is led by the Portsmouth-based nonprofit Northeastern Regional Association of Coastal Ocean Observing Systems and will bring together leaders from the seafood industry, technology sector, government and research institutions across Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island to build a more competitive, resilient and technologically advanced seafood economy.

As a partner in the NSF Seafood Engine, 91���� — the state’s Sea Grant and only institution to have achieved prestigious R1 Carnegie Classification for research productivity and performance — will contribute its world-class expertise in marine science, fisheries, aquaculture, engineering, workforce development and technology commercialization. 

Working alongside regional partners, the state’s flagship will help develop innovative solutions that strengthen the seafood supply chain, support coastal communities and prepare the next generation of seafood and blue economy professionals in Maine and beyond.

91���� oceanography professor Damian Brady and his team at the Darling Marine Center in Walpole will help develop, deploy and test more than a dozen new, low-cost water quality sensors to support scallop, oyster and kelp aquaculture farms across Maine’s coast. These sensors will provide temperature, salinity, oxygen, chlorophyll and acidity data in real time. 

Aquaculture farms will use that information to select sites, grow and preserve products and identify warning signs of shellfish diseases and other threats. The work builds on previous efforts from Brady’s team creating a satellite data-based model that is helping oyster farmers select ideal sites for their operations. 

“The ultimate challenge is Maine has 3,478 miles of tidal shoreline, and it’s almost impossible to do water quality testing along such an extensive coastline,” Brady said. “We need ways of partnering with people who are already in the water, and working together with that part of the industry to understand our water quality challenges.” 

Through the NSF Seafood Engine, Brady’s team is partnering with a Bluesonde in Portland, Maine, to develop and deploy the sensors. His team will also work with aquaculture farmers on data collection, empowering them to become citizen scientists. Students will be involved in deploying and testing the sensors, reflecting 91����’s R1 learner-centered mission. 

“We’re going to be deploying these near-shore systems for aquaculturists, but anyone who is utilizing marine resources, including fishermen, is going to benefit.” Brady said. 

The NSF Seafood Engine will initially receive $15 million in total over two years, with the potential to grow to as much as $160 million in federal funding over 10 years as it builds an internationally competitive technology and innovation cluster. This initial NSF investment creates an opportunity to leverage additional public, private and philanthropic support to expand the partnership and accelerate its impact.

The NSF Seafood Engine aims to enhance the competitiveness of fisheries and aquaculture, a sector that represents approximately 25% of the nation’s seafood value. In Maine, commercial fisheries generated $619.1 million in 2025, marking the 14th consecutive year that commercial fishery earnings exceeded $500 million.

Technologies developed through the NSF Seafood Engine have the potential to be deployed nationwide, helping strengthen America’s seafood industry and improving its position in the global marketplace.

“Built on the ingenuity and steadfast determination at the heart of America’s oldest commercial enterprise, the Seafood Engine is ready to confront key challenges facing the industry with bold innovation,” said Jake Kritzer, principal investigator of the Seafood Engine and executive director of Northeastern Regional Association of Coastal Ocean Observing Systems. 

At the outset, the NSF Seafood Engine will:

• Support research and development projects that bring together seafood harvesters, academic experts and technology companies to build ocean intelligence through advanced sensors deployed from fishing vessels and aquaculture farms.
• Form a consortium of regional seafood apprenticeship programs that will allow new entrants to participate in research projects and help bring innovations into practice.
• Provide funding to blue technology companies that have completed the research phase and are ready to commercialize new products.

Over time, expanded research, workforce development and technology commercialization activities will help reshore American processing of Maine seafood products such as lobster, oysters, mussels, salmon, scallops and other commercially important fisheries, strengthening the seafood supply chain.

Together, these efforts are expected to create new opportunities for small and medium-sized businesses throughout New England while helping reduce the nation’s $20 billion seafood trade deficit.

In early summer 2024, the NSF Seafood Engine in New England submitted one of in response to the second NSF Engines funding opportunity. The preliminary proposal was selected as one of . Following a merit review, the NSF Seafood Engine in New England was one of 29 teams to share a detailed presentation about their proposed NSF Engine.

From this process, in two-day site visits with NSF staff and external experts. The NSF Seafood Engine in New England is one of 12 NSF Engines award winners selected from among these finalists.

Contact: Marcus Wolf, 207.581.3721; marcus.wolf@maine.edu 

Last summer, Sofia Diaz Flint spent her days working on a Maine oyster farm, hauling cages and tending shellfish that would not reach the market for another year.

Seeing firsthand how much farmers depend on their crop surviving the winter shaped the direction of her senior capstone project at the University of Maine.

“I worked on an oyster farm and wanted to base my project on oysters,” she said.

Now, Diaz Flint, a marine science major with a concentration in aquaculture, is developing a tool to help Maine oyster farmers monitor oyster health and better predict overwintering survival.

Diaz Flint’s project reflects 91����’s commitment to learner-centered R1, hands-on, real-world research learning opportunities, where undergraduate students work directly with faculty and industry partners to tackle challenges facing Maine communities.

The work comes as oyster farming continues to grow across the state, even as farms remain vulnerable to diseases such as Sudden Unusual Mortality Syndrome, or SUMS, and to seasonal stress during the winter months.

Her project focuses on near-infrared spectroscopy, an analytical method that uses infrared light to measure the chemical composition of organic materials. Aquaculturists, including researchers and farmers, can use the technology to measure lipid reserves in oysters by scanning the tissues of shellfish, allowing them to assess nutritional health of the animal.

“I turned to spectrometry, which involves passing infrared light through tissue samples and analyzing what reflects back to determine chemical concentration,” she said. “From there, I can build a model and use samples from farmed oysters to see whether they are susceptible to dying over the winter or how prepared they are for winter and other environmental stressors.”

Lipids are concentrated energy reserves stored within an oyster’s tissue. They can serve as fuel during winter and early spring if oysters are active but food supplies are short. They may also help oysters resist stress associated with SUMS, which refers to unpredictable die-offs triggered when an oyster’s energy is depleted.

Oysters typically require a two-year culture cycle to reach market size. They must accumulate enough lipids to survive the winter, when cold water temperatures reduce feeding activity.

Paul Rawson, a professor of marine science in the University of Maine’s School of Marine Sciences and Diaz Flint’s project adviser, said the industry has long sought better ways to understand overwintering success.

“It has long been an interest in the oyster industry to understand what limits overwintering success,” Rawson said. “In Maine, there has always been a need to understand ways to sustain oysters from their first season in the water through the winter to the second season, when they reach market size.”

Although near-infrared spectroscopy has existed for years, Diaz Flint’s project aims to refine the technology to address modern challenges in a changing coastal environment.

“Just by providing a model, it allows scientists, researchers and farmers to base their research on it and learn from it,” Diaz Flint said. “Ultimately, I want to contribute to more resilient and sustainable aquaculture in Maine’s changing coastal environment.”

Story by Alexa Rose Perocillo, news intern

Contact: Marcus Wolf, 207.581.3721; marcus.wolf@maine.edu

Categories:

Blue Economy / Marine Sciences / News / Research

A new teaching and research vessel at the University of Maine’s Darling Marine Center is expanding student access to the largest ecosystem on Earth: the open ocean.

The new 45-foot vessel is the biggest in the center’s fleet. Previously used as a commercial tuna fishing platform, the boat will support student training, faculty research and workforce development within the School of Marine Sciences and Maine Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station. 

With docking stations at both the Darling Marine Center and in Portland, the vessel will give students and faculty improved access to offshore waters throughout New England, from the Gulf of Maine to Rhode Island. It has considerable range, with the ability to travel up to 100 miles offshore, cruise at 18 knots and carry 700 gallons of fuel.

“A tenet of my teaching philosophy has always been learning by doing,” said Walt Golet, 91���� associate professor of marine science. “This vessel will serve as the perfect platform for our students to do just that. They’ll get to be a part of field-based teaching, workforce skill development and applied research with our faculty, just to name a few. This vessel expands access to the open ocean and the amazing marine life in the Gulf of Maine like never before.”

Depending on the fieldwork, classes of up to 20 students or more can participate at once. Equipped with specialized safety equipment, a fully enclosed wheelhouse, an onboard generator, a heating system and a small galley, the boat is designed for extended trips and comfort, even in challenging weather. It also has two large bait wells, living quarters with four bunks, a head, a roof top crane, a pot hauler and a tuna door that can be used to bring large fish onboard for tagging or serve as a dive entry point.

Golet has already been using the vessel for several undergraduate and graduate courses. The boat’s platform allows students to tag fish and collect data that help track their movements and collect data for fisheries management. Golet, who leads the Pelagic Fisheries Lab is utilizing the vessel to conduct his research on Atlantic bluefin tuna, billfish, sharks and other large migratory species and bring students onboard to participate.

Working alongside faculty, students also assist with deploying gear and learn safety protocols for handling animals, as well as basic vessel and navigation skills — a reflection of 91����’s commitment to learner-centered R1, hands-on, real-world research learning opportunities. 

“Connecting students and stakeholders to coastal and marine resources is what the Darling Marine Center is all about, and this vessel expands the capacity to do that by making hands-on offshore research and learning experiences possible,” said Sean Smith, the center’s director. 

In addition to shark and tuna tagging projects, the vessel will support marine mammal and seabird surveys, fisheries research and other offshore studies. It will also enhance courses included in 91����’s Semester by the Sea program, which brings students from 91����’s Orono campus to the coast for an immersive marine science education.

The vessel was gifted by an anonymous donor who has a passion for cooperative research and education and sought to create more opportunities for 91���� students to experience the ocean firsthand. Its acquisition was a joint effort between the donor and 91����’s College of Earth, Life, and Health Sciences as part of the college’s plan to enhance the fleet at the Darling Marine Center and support faculty based in Portland. 

It compliments one of the center’s existing research vessels, the Ira C, in creating a versatile fleet capable of supporting research across a wide range of environments and fields of study — from the Damariscotta River estuary to offshore banks and basins throughout the Gulf of Maine.

Faculty are exploring additional ways they can take advantage of the vessel’s size and range, including collaborative projects across the School of Marine Sciences and outreach opportunities that connect students, alumni and supporters with 91����’s ocean research.

Contact: Ashley Yates; ashley.depew@maine.edu

Categories:

Marine Sciences / Outreach / Research

In Maine’s warmer waters, oysters grow briny and firm, feeding on algae and plankton. Their cycle from hatchery to bay is only as successful as their location. Known as filter feeders, oysters’ size and flavor is fully reliant on the nutrients available in the water surrounding them. 

Water depth, temperature and circulation set the stage for ocean ecosystems and can shift dramatically within a few miles; Maine’s coastline measures about 3,400. 

This fickle business has grabbed the attention of University of Maine researchers and aquaculture specialists working to strengthen Maine’s blue economy.  

NASA and U.S. Geological Survey satellites have been recording temperature and other data from Maine’s waters for years. Using that, 91���� researchers are developing an online tool that will allow growers to click on a coastal location and receive an estimate for oysters’ time-to-market. Prospective farmers are already using an that shows average sea surface temperatures in locations throughout the Gulf of Maine since 2013.

“Oyster growth relies on two things: food availability and temperature,” said lead researcher Tom Kiffney, a postdoctoral researcher at 91����’s Aquaculture Research Institute. “Our model combines data on both to make a prediction about how long it would take oysters to grow. It takes some risk away when selecting a future farm site.”

Kiffney and Damian Brady, professor of marine sciences at 91����, combined resources from the NASA-USGS Landsat satellite and the European Sentinel-2 satellite to form the foundation of their upcoming online tool and , published in the journal Aquaculture. Their model is able to predict how quickly eastern oysters reach market size by feeding it information on sea surface temperature and organic matter.

They analyzed 10 years of Landsat data from 2013-23 to establish average temperature patterns along the coast, while Sentinel-2 imagery added estimates of chlorophyll and nutrient presence. Brady said they validated the model against seven years of field data to prove its accuracy.

“To get an aquaculture lease is a long and arduous process,” Brady said. “Once you get a lease, you cannot simply move it somewhere else, so getting as much information about your site up front is crucial.”

Diversifying Maine’s blue economy 

An industry that has increased in value 78% between 2011-21, oyster farming has become one alternative to catching lobsters. While oysters will likely never reach the lobster industry’s peak of $750 million, Brady said it has the potential to grow into the tens of millions of dollars. 

He added that diversity in Maine’s blue economy makes it more resilient to change and allows people who work on the waterfront to have alternative options for revenue if one aspect of the coastal economy experiences disease or habitat changes, such as those faced by lobster populations in recent years. 

Lobster and oyster culturing also occur in different environmental conditions, further diversifying Maine’s coastal economy. Lobsters thrive in colder waters, whereas oysters — while able to grow in a range of conditions — grow faster in warmer waters.

Oysters also aren’t resource limited like lobsters, whose populations fluctuate year to year depending on the ecosystem. Oysters are able to be cultivated as long as there is space in the water that is available and permissible.

In addition to creating a web tool that will be widely accessible to oyster farmers, the researchers help teach workshops through Maine’s Aquaculture in Shared Waters program on how to interpret and apply temperature and water clarity data to sites.

Read the full story on . 

Contact: Ashley Yates; ashley.depew@maine.edu

The Maine Sea Grant Program at the University of Maine is pleased to announce its receipt of $1.4 million from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), awarded to support research and outreach activities of the NOAA Sea Grant-funded American Lobster Initiative.

With this new four-year award, Maine Sea Grant and its regional partners will support collaborative research to address complex challenges facing the American lobster fishery. The initiative will also synthesize research findings so they are accessible and actionable for fishermen, policymakers and the public, and support place-based technical assistance within the Gulf of Maine, Georges Bank and Southern New England region. 

The full $2 million in NOAA funding also includes $600,000 in second-year support for four 2025-26 American lobster research awards.

The American lobster (Homarus americanus) is among the nation’s most valuable fisheries, with approximately 113 million pounds landed in 2024, valued at . The industry supports thousands of Maine families across the fishing and seafood supply chain and faces growing uncertainty driven by environmental and market change. This underscores the need for collaborative research to understand how lobsters are responding to changing conditions and how best to sustain the fishery.

Since 2019, Sea Grant’s (ALI) has worked to close critical knowledge gaps about this iconic species, strengthening the fishery’s resilience to biological, economic and social impacts of ecosystem change. The program has funded 40 projects to date and supports a national research competition alongside a regionally coordinated extension network to ensure that communities across the region benefit from these investments.  

“This new federal investment in lobster research is terrific news for Maine’s fishermen, marine researchers, and coastal communities, and it underscores why I advocated so strongly for the restoration of Maine Sea Grant’s funding last year. The research efforts led by Maine Sea Grant help inform policy makers and support our working waterfronts, strengthening Maine’s blue economy and helping to ensure that our state’s fisheries remain sustainable and competitive for generations to come,” said U.S. Sen. Susan Collins.

With the new $1.4 million award, Maine Sea Grant will begin to administer the initiative’s competitive research competition, which was previously administered by the NOAA National Sea Grant Program.

“Maine Sea Grant is honored to build on our strong partnerships and tradition of research and extension excellence by expanding our role to include research administration. By leveraging our deep local connections and extensive partnerships, we will ensure this investment directly addresses the most pressing needs for the management and sustainability of the lobster fishery,” said Gayle Zydlewski director of Maine Sea Grant College Program at 91����.

The new American Lobster Initiative research competition, to be announced this spring, will fund collaborative projects focused on priority research needs while strengthening partnerships between scientists and the lobster industry. Maine Sea Grant will continue coordinating extension programming and science communication in partnership with Northeast Sea Grant programs, the lobster industry, and state and federal marine resource agencies across the region. 

“The American Lobster Initiative’s emphasis on collaborative research comes at an important moment for Maine’s lobster industry and will help rebuild trust and strengthen relationships between industry, management, and research partners,” said Patrice McCarron, executive director of the Maine Lobstermen’s Association.

A portion of the $1.4 million award will support the New Hampshire Sea Grant program and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Sea Grant program, who will work with Maine Sea Grant to expand regional support and community engagement around the new research competition, while also providing extension and communications leadership for the initiative.

In addition to the $1.4 million award, NOAA has awarded $600,000 in second-year funding for four previously announced American Lobster Initiative research projects led by 91����, the Maine Department of Marine Resources and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. These projects are advancing understanding of lobster reproduction and growth in changing environmental conditions and are examining the potential effects of offshore energy installations on seafloor habitats used by lobsters.

“These funds will enable my project team and me to continue to grow our dataset and fill in important data gaps around lobster growth allowing us to understand better how a changing environment may affect how lobsters grow and reproduce,” Amalia Harrington, assistant professor of marine biology at 91����.

To date, the American Lobster Initiative has strengthened collaboration among researchers, managers and industry partners, advancing understanding of lobster biology, population dynamics, and related socioeconomic and management issues. Findings from the initiative are helping inform fishing practices and management decisions, support planning efforts, and protect fishing livelihoods and local seafood economies. 

Project partners developed a to share outcomes from the initiative, which will continue to be updated as additional findings become available. The collaborative projects advance 91����’s mission as the state’s flagship, learner-centered R1 research institution. Industry partners, undergraduate and graduate students, resource managers and researchers will work together to co-develop solutions to challenges facing Maine’s coastal economy. The effort builds on decades of support for and engagement with the American lobster industry by the Maine Sea Grant Program, 91���� and regional partners.

For additional information, contact Maine Sea Grant Lobster Research and Extension Coordinator .

Contact: Marcus Wolf, 207.581.3721; marcus.wolf@maine.edu 

Whether it’s conducting cutting-edge research, commenting on current events or receiving that diploma, University of Maine faculty, students and leaders made headlines locally, nationally and internationally in 2025.

From research labs and classrooms to commencement stages and championship arenas, 91���� was featured in more than 18,000 stories published from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2025. In addition, our faculty, students and leaders were quoted or referenced 25,000 times in outlets based in every U.S. state and over 40 countries. 

Below is a sampling of 91���� media placements in 2025.

Portland Press Herald — ‘Think of 91���� as the R&D department of Maine itself’

In an op-ed published in the , 91���� President Joan Ferrini-Mundy encouraged Mainers to think of the university as the state’s research and development department. 

“While all research universities provide value to their home states, 91���� is invaluable to Maine,” wrote Ferrini-Mundy, who also serves as vice chancellor for research and innovation for the University of Maine System. “With an economy almost entirely reliant on small businesses that typically lack in-house expertise and facilities necessary to develop and improve products and processes, our university is Maine’s Research & Development (R&D) Department.”

Bangor Daily News — Showcasing campus capital projects, 2026 look-ahead 

In December, the touted the many capital projects which will move the university and the state forward in the coming years. The BDN interviewed Ferrini-Mundy, Interim Vice President for Research Giovanna Guidoboni, and many others.

The BDN highlighted upcoming facilities like the GEM Factory of the Future and Sustainable Aquaculture Workforce and Innovation Center.

“I think we can see how our faculty, staff and students have helped to make all of these things attractive and possible. We have the talent here on this campus to warrant these kinds of facilities, and so it’s appropriate that they happen,” Ferrini-Mundy said.

People Magazine — Two senior citizens’ road to graduation

At age 88, Joan Alexander likely became the oldest undergraduate degree recipient in 91����’s 160-year history, concluding a journey she began in the 1960s. Local and national news organizations, including magazine, told Alexander’s story, and how she was acknowledged during one of 91����’s undergraduate ceremonies in May

also featured Jules Hathaway of Veazie, Maine, who graduated with a master’s degree in student development in higher education from 91���� at age 73.

Bangor Daily News — Multi-story graduation celebration

When hundreds of students were awarded diplomas amid cheers from family and friends at the Cross Insurance Center, the BDN celebrated alongside them with not one, but four stories on 91����’s 2025 commencement ceremonies. The package included a , , and . 

“I myself realized that we are all blessed by an immeasurable amount of families,” said valedictorian Meg Caron during her speech, as quoted by the BDN. “From the sports teams I’ve been a part of, the labs I’ve researched in, the teachers and classmates I’ve grown close to, and the roommates I’ve had in Maine, Michigan, France, Costa Rica and Canada, I’ve formed familial relationships with a thousand souls, and they’ve each gifted me a part of themselves.”

The New York Times — ‘How healthy are potatoes?’ 

When exploring the nutritional benefits of potatoes before Thanksgiving, the tapped an expert from the home of the popular Caribou Russet. 

Mary Ellen Camire, professor of food science and human nutrition at 91����, spoke to the Times about how potatoes contain a modest amount of vitamin B6, which is needed for cardiovascular, immune and mental health. Purple and red potatoes have pigments called anthocyanins that promote cardiovascular health, slow starch digestion and help stave off cognitive problems, she said.

The Boston Globe — Hockey East champions 

The 91���� men’s hockey team secured its sixth Hockey East Tournament title with a 5-2 win over UConn at Boston’s TD Garden. and were among the dozens of media outlets that reported on the Black Bears’ first conference championship since 2004.

And they did it before a sellout crowd of over 17,000, most of them making the trip south from Maine.

“I’m extremely proud of them, and happy for the guys in the room, happy for the school, and really the whole state of Maine, because it felt like the whole state was there,” coach Ben Barr said after the game.

Scientific American — The dire wolf debate 

As memes and social media chatter spread worldwide about Colossal Biosciences’ genetic modification of gray wolf pups to resemble the dire wolf, publications like got the rundown from the experts. 91����’s Jacquelyn Gill, professor of terrestrial paleoecology, spoke to the inability of such extinct species to exist the same as they once did. 

“[The pups] don’t have any traits that would allow us to understand the dire wolf any better than we did yesterday,” Gill said, adding that understanding ice age organisms isn’t just a matter of knowing what they looked like or what they ate — but also about knowing what they did in those ancient ecosystems. “Some of those things are coded genetically; some of those are cultural.”

The New York Times — Struggles of rural children

The struggles of children in rural America and why they are dealing with increasing barriers to support services was explored in a op-ed published in November. 91����’s Catharine Biddle, associate professor of education, discussed the challenges rural districts face when trying to provide food, health care and counseling services to students who can’t access them elsewhere.

The op-ed notes that “In , where she spoke to over 100 educators in rural Maine about how they dealt with children with adverse childhood experiences, a teacher mentioned that the school nurse is on site just once a month, and that teachers feel as if they are acting as ad hoc social workers on a daily basis.”

WABI-TV (CBS) — Seeking a universal flu treatment 

91���� students are using physics to fight the flu, and joined them in the lab to showcase their work. 

A group of undergraduate and graduate students, led by physics professor Sam Hess, has been doing single molecule microscopy combined with molecular simulations to learn about how influenza viruses mutate and hijack the cells of their host. Their discoveries could lead to the creation of a universal flu treatment with potential applications for other viruses, offering more effective treatment options to defend against cold and flu season. 

“The idea is, can we come up with something more universal. So that way we’re not playing this guessing game every year,” said David Winski, a graduate student at 91���� working on his PhD in Biophysics.

CNN — ‘How do we identify hazing?’ 

Following a staged kidnapping at a high school in Syracuse, New York, interviewed 91����’s Elizabeth Allan, professor of higher education leadership, about the culture of hazing, its relevancy in schools and prevention methods. 

“It’s not really focused on ‘thou shall not haze,’ it’s more, how do we think about the groups we’re in and the relationships we have with our teammates or with our fraternity brothers or with our band mates?” she said.

Allan is a national expert on hazing, founder of and director of 91����’s Hazing Prevention Lab. 

HISTORY — Life during the American Revolution

During the American Revolution, the British Army captured and held many major cities like New York and Boston for months, if not years. In an interview with , Liam Riordan, a 91���� professor and chair of the history department, presented a picture of what the war was like beyond battlegrounds and street protests, as Americans lived under British occupation. 

“No matter your political allegiance, most people are just hunkering down and trying to survive the war without sacrificing their families,” he said.

FOX Bangor/ABC 7 News — Training with cutting-edge robotics for manufacturing 

joined the grand opening of 91����’s B.O.T. Loft, a new robotics and automation training facility inside the Advanced Manufacturing Center (AMC). The facility is committed to “building, optimizing and training” the manufacturing workforce in Maine and beyond. This in-demand workforce needs to know how to operate new and efficient industrial technology for everything from wood products to composite materials.

“A lot of manufacturers are hesitant to put in technology and automation unless they have a workforce that’s really trained in it,” said John Belding, director of the AMC. “Our goal is to help upscale that workforce and help train their existing workforce so that they are comfortable using robotics and automation in the workplace.”

Good Morning America — Printing affordable homes 

During Earth Week, featured BioHome3D, the first 100% bio-based 3D-printed home in the world. Made from local wood fiber and other recyclable materials, BioHome3D was developed by the 91���� Advanced Structures and Composites Center to address labor shortages, supply chains issues and affordable housing shortage. 

“In Maine, we produce about a million tons of wood waste every year in our sawmills. So we thought, ‘How do we take that waste, and make it into something valuable?’” said ASCC executive director Habib Dagher during the interview. 

Nautilus — ‘Has culture surpassed genes?’ 

reported that human evolution may no longer be driven primarily by genetics, according to a new theory by 91���� researchers. 

Timothy Waring and Zachary Wood argue that cultural systems are now shaping the way humans survive, adapt and reproduce. “Cultural evolution eats genetic evolution for breakfast,” Wood said. “It’s not even close.”

Maine Public — Exploring cosmic phenomena with Neil DeGrasse Tyson 

Before a total lunar eclipse illuminated the night sky with an eerie red glow in Mid-March, Maine Public hosted famous astrophysicist Neil Degrasse Tyson for a segment of its “” radio show on the latest astronomy news. Joining them on the call was 91����’s own Shawn Laatsch, director of the Versant Power Astronomy Center on campus. 

NPR — Origins of the word ‘broadcasting’

What is the connection between broadcasting and agriculture? 91����’s Michael Socolow, professor of communication and journalism, got to the bottom of it with for a report that explored the origins of the word “broadcasting.” 

What began as a word describing a method of spreading plant seed expanded its meaning in the early 20th century as radios became the most common way for people to receive news, starting with the election of President Warren G. Harding in 1920. 

“By the end of the 1930s, when you used the word ‘broadcasting,’ Americans all knew it meant radio broadcasting,” Socolow said.

Gizmodo — Tiny technology advancing nuclear generation 

praised the tiny, but powerful sensor created by 91���� researchers to enhance monitoring capabilities and safety for next-gen nuclear reactors. These microelectronic sensors are capable of withstanding extreme environments — temperatures up to 1,832 degrees Fahrenheit and intense radiation. 

Mauricio Pereira da Cunha, the Roger Clapp Castle and Virginia Averill Castle Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, was the principal investigator on the project. The breakthrough positions 91���� at the forefront of high-temperature, radiation-resistant materials innovation. 

CBS News — New tick species for Maine 

In August, University of Maine Cooperative Extension and the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry (DACF) confirmed the presence of a new species of tick for the state: the invasive Asian longhorned tick. The news of its detection for the first time in Maine garnered headlines nationwide, including on .

“This discovery underscores the critical importance of continued tick surveillance in Maine,” said Griffin Dill, director of the 91���� Cooperative Extension: Tick Lab. “While this appears to be an isolated case, we are closely monitoring the situation and coordinating with state and federal partners.”

News Center Maine — Providing meals for those in need 

joined hundreds of students and other volunteers as they packaged 52,920 meals to donate to people experiencing food insecurity for the Maine Day Meal Packout on April 30 at the Memorial Gym.  

The event was organized by Honors College faculty, staff and students, who raised over $19,400 to purchase the meals, which were given to over two dozen food banks and pantries in Penobscot, Piscataquis, Waldo and Washington counties. 

“It’s really wonderful to now be on this side and now see the full circle of how we get these meals to communities in need,” said Jasper Makowski, 91���� student and outreach coordinator for the Maine Day Meal Packout. 

U.S. News & World Report — Growing the blue economy workforce 

A story from highlighted 91���� degrees that help prepare students for careers in the blue economy. Those include the bachelor’s degree in marine science with options to specialize in aquaculture, marine biology or physical science, MaineMBA that offers a blue economy concentration.

U.S. News interviewed Jason Harkins, executive dean of the Maine Business School, and Diane Rowland, dean of the College of Earth, Life and Health Sciences, and director of the Maine Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station.

Mainebiz — Reynolds gym revitalization 

In April, students, regional and state leaders and other guests celebrated the reopening of the newly renovated Reynolds Gymnasium on the University of Maine at Machias campus. 

highlighted facility updates, which include new, NCAA-compliant hardwood floor, new bleachers, upgraded scoreboards, a new sound system and other enhancements to support student and community events. 

“This project represents more than just a new floor and bleachers — it represents a revitalized space for our students, faculty, staff and the wider Downeast community,” said Megan Walsh, 91���� Machias’ dean and campus director. 

Associated Press — Energy and environmental cost of AI 

With the use of artificial intelligence growing rapidly nationwide and the emergence of many data centers designed to support it, the examined the impacts of the technology on our energy and the environment. 

Jon Ippolito, professor of new media at 91����, spoke to AP on the potential impact of AI and showcased his that explores the environmental footprint of using it for different digital tasks. Ippolito said tech companies are constantly working to make chips and data centers more efficient, but that does not mean AI’s environmental impact will shrink. This story was shared in about 200 news outlets across the globe.

WMTW (ABC) — Little insect and its big threat for Maine woods

Spruce budworms are among the most destructive native forest pests in North America. Outbreaks kill trees, rendering the timber useless, increasing the risk of wildfire and causing a series of ecological effects.

In February, Angela Mech, director of 91����’s Spruce Budworm Lab, spoke with about their destructive impact on Maine woods and efforts to curtail their damage. 

“It’s normally here all the time, but in very low densities, we can’t normally find it. But about every 40 years, it explodes,” Mech said. 

Newsweek &�Բ�����;— Tackling prescription drug costs with science

Researchers discovered a sustainable method to produce the key ingredient in a broad range of pharmaceuticals, which could help address high prescription drug costs in the U.S. 

Thomas Schwartz, project lead and associate director of 91����’s Forest Bioproducts Research Institute, and Philip Kersten, research collaborator from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, spoke with about their work. They explored a new, cost-reducing pathway to produce one of these crucial building blocks, (S)-3-hydroxy-γ-butyrolactone (HBL), from glucose at high concentrations and yields. 

“Initial economic analysis suggests our process can be used to produce HBL much less expensively than the current process, which opens the door to producing new consumer products as well as more affordable pharmaceuticals,” Schwartz and Kersten explained.

WGME (CBS) — Improving cancer detection with AI

A research team led by two 91���� Ph.D students developed an artificial intelligence system that could make it easier and faster for doctors to identify signs of breast cancer in tissue samples, possibly preventing delays and saving lives.

Jeremy Juybari and Josh Hamilton spoke with (Channel 13 in Portland) about this new tool, which introduces a deep learning architecture designed to interpret microscopic images of tissue with greater precision than conventional AI models.

“We have one part of the model that looks at a detailed resolution of an image, you can see down to the cell level,” Juybari said. “It’s not just the detailed tissue region that matters, it’s the surrounding tissue structure that also contains a lot of information that’s important for the model to figure out if this detailed region has cancer or not.”

The Independent — Safely enjoying Thanksgiving leftovers

Many people enjoy eating Thanksgiving leftovers, but without proper storage, they can lead to foodborne illness. In an article warning readers against leaving leftovers out too long, shared tips from Extension’s Gulsun Akdemir Evrendilek on how to safely enjoy Thanksgiving for a second time. In particular, the publication noted Evrendilek’s tips on reheating food and reboiling gravy. 

Contact: Marcus Wolf, 207.581.3721; marcus.wolf@maine.edu

Tiny organisms called algae can have an outsized impact on working waterfronts. While many benefit their ecosystems, others can cause devastating economic and ecological effects. 

University of Maine Ph.D. candidate Sydney Greenlee, alongside researchers Robin Sleith and Peter Countway from the Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, have developed a faster, more accurate way to detect a toxic species of algae known as Pseudo-nitzschia australis (P. australis). 

In 2016, the algae bloomed along the East Coast for the first time, spreading a neurotoxin in its wake. The neurotoxin contaminates shellfish, causing amnesic shellfish poisoning in those who eat the affected seafood. It can be deadly to humans and cause aggressive behavior in marine mammals. Shellfish farms from the Bay of Fundy to Rhode Island halted harvesting for weeks and recalled products. While a major event like this has not occurred in the Gulf of Maine since, P. australis continues to threaten hatcheries and Maine’s working waterfront.

The team developed a test that uses a quantitative version of the Polymerase Chain Reaction (qPCR) to detect P. australis in environmental DNA (eDNA) samples. The test builds on Pseudo-nitzschia research conducted over the past decade in Countway’s lab, where Greenlee is based, and offers a more accurate approach to monitoring these toxic algae. As a result, this test can help the shellfish industry better track and respond to harmful algae blooms. 

“Genetic tools like this are becoming an important tool in our monitoring efforts for the Marine Biotoxin Monitoring Program within the Department of Marine Resources’ Bureau of Public Health and Aquaculture,”said Tyler Spillane, a marine resource scientist with Maine’s Department of Marine Resources. “This assay will help us in better identifying toxin forming blooms of Pseudo-nitzschia phytoplankton, allowing us to refine our management practices to better protect public health and potentially minimize growing area closures that impact the shellfish industry in Maine.”

Approximately half of Pseudo-nitzschia species are toxic, with P. australis producing the highest levels of domoic acid, the neurotoxin that causes amnesic shellfish poisoning. Harmful algal blooms occur when a toxic species becomes more abundant than normal, sometimes taking over an ecosystem. While the bloom species is dominant, its toxins accumulate in shellfish, and when humans and other animals ingest those shellfish, it can lead to dangerous and even lethal consequences. The dangers of P. australis in Maine loomed after its unexpected arrival in 2016, especially as scientists did not have the tools to best monitor and understand the species. 

Currently, researchers use light microscopy to monitor samples of seawater for Pseudo-nitzschia. While not all Pseudo-nitzschia produce toxins like P. australis, it is nearly impossible to differentiate toxic and non-toxic species visually, even based on observations by a skilled technician. When Pseudo-nitzschia cells reach a certain abundance in the water, precautionary measures are taken within the shellfish industry to avoid selling contaminated products. 

These measures remain in place until resource managers determine whether shellfish meat contains domoic acid. Collectively, this makes the benefits of identification costly to resource managers and other stakeholders.

The team’s new eDNA assay is able to quickly identify P. australis by detecting a unique genetic marker in as little as a liter of water. This approach, which was published in the journal , offers new species-level identification at a much lower cell density than is possible by microscopy. 

With a faster and more accurate method of detection, water can be tested more often and with a quicker turnaround time for results. This would allow resource managers to better identify threats to hatcheries and ecosystems, and target interventions to reduce potential damage. Greenlee and Sleith recently trained scientists at Maine’s Department of Marine Resources on this exact procedure.

“This new approach finally gives us the opportunity to study the ecology of Pseudo-nitzschia australis against the backdrop of many other types of Pseudo-nitzschia that are found in the Gulf of Maine, and will hopefully lead to some explanations for the drivers of its bloom dynamics,” said Countway. “A goal for our ongoing work is to implement this and similar detection methods along the coast of Maine so that this species never surprises us again, as was the case with the 2016 bloom event.”

Greenlee hopes to see this new eDNA tool integrated into existing processes that test Pseudo-nitzschia levels in seawater and demonstrate its potential to help protect Maine’s coastal economy and ecosystems globally.

“I hope this gives a little more visibility to how we could apply eDNA tools to research questions that are really important for coastal communities,” said Greenlee. Whether those research questions involve harmful algal blooms or other species expanding into the Gulf of Maine, the research demonstrates eDNA’s potential to be part of the solution.

Greenlee is a Ph.D. candidate studying oceanography at 91����’s School of Marine Sciences. She’s advised by Countway and Damian Brady, professor of marine sciences at 91����’s Darling Marine Center. 

This project received support from an Infrastructure Improvement Track-1 Maine-eDNA grant from the National Science Foundation’s Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research. It also received partial support from a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Centers for Coastal Ocean Sciences Monitoring and Event Response for Harmful Algal Blooms award to Bigelow Laboratory, and from a NOAA Northeastern Regional Association of Coastal Ocean Observing Systems award to 91����.

Story by: Emma Beauregard. research media intern

Contact: Daniel Timmermann, daniel.timmermann@maine.edu

Farming kelp to sell as food, beauty products, fertilizer additives and other goods is a growing industry in Maine, but also a costly one. One key barrier for new farmers is a lack of cost-analysis tools to help reduce expenditures and develop sustainable business plans. 

Researchers from Kelson Marine in Portland, Maine and the University of Maine developed a new tool that provides detailed economic analyses for kelp farmers and reveals strategies for reducing the cost of farmed seaweed. It accounts for differences in site selection, weather, crop size and dozens of other scenario-specific factors. It can be used for operations nearshore and offshore, like large-scale farms in the Gulf of Maine that are fully exposed to nor-easter driven waves. 

“By using this tool to investigate the comprehensive implications of any given farm design or operational decision, we can help kelp farmers meaningfully reduce production costs and achieve economic sustainability,” said project lead Zach Moscicki, ocean engineer with Kelson Marine. “The tool allows us to carefully navigate the multitude of tradeoffs associated with any such decision and avoid leaning into overly narrow-scoped improvements that may reduce costs in one way, but increase costs or reduce production via some other indirect but connected pathway.” 

The tool incorporates many different factors from a farming scenario, including site specific-ocean and meteorological conditions, species-specific crop characteristics and growth, workboat types and sizes, labor structures, operational technology, local shore-side infrastructure, maintenance schedules and more. 

By resolving the comprehensive impact on the bottom line and the multitude of tradeoffs associated with specific operational and farm design decisions, the tool provides unique insight into the implications of cost-saving alternatives. These can include on-board kelp processing or storage techniques, or using various machinery to increase operation speeds. 

To test the tool, researchers used it to analyze the production costs of a hypothetical sugar kelp farming operation occupying 1000 acres, located about 12 miles from shore at a site with a water depth of 330 feet. Several scenarios, including multiple farm designs and operational models, were evaluated to understand the inherent impacts on farming at such a site. 

The tool predicted that operating a kelp farm that is simply designed for low structural costs and high production volume would cost $2618 per tonne of fresh kelp. However, by testing design and operational decisions via the tool, the team was able to identify significant improvements that, when combined, reduced the cost of production by 85% to $383 per tonne of fresh kelp. These improvements included deeper cultivation lines, mechanized harvest and seeding operations, processing the kelp on-site into a slurry, optimizing vessel sizes and selecting different vessels.

The team from Kelson Marine and 91���� was supported by scientists from the University of New Hampshire, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute and Vertical Bay Maine. 

The framework for this tool and case study findings are published in . Kelp farmers in Maine and beyond who are interested in receiving analyses from this tool can contact Moscicki at z.moscicki@kelsonmarine.com.

This work was supported with funding from Conscience Bay Research, The Builders Initiative and Fiscal Year 2024 Congressionally Directed Spending secured by U.S. Sens. Susan Collins, chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and Angus King through the U.S. Small Business Administration. Structural analysis tools developed and validated under the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy Macroalgae Research Inspiring Novel Energy Resources (ARPA-e MARINER) program were applied in this study.

This tool is the latest example of how 91���� students and faculty are preserving and propelling the state’s blue economy, industries that use ocean resources for economic growth without jeopardizing the environment. 

Through innovation and workforce development, the university broadens insight into ecological and socioeconomic changes that affect the state’s coastal communities and businesses. Its faculty and students are also exploring opportunities for new sectors and markets. 

“What is exciting about this new model is that it is the most comprehensive and detailed cost analysis of offshore kelp growth in the U.S. to date,” said Damian Brady, professor of marine sciences at 91����. “And this type of analysis helps us find pain points where investments in technology can rapidly change the cost-benefit analysis.” 

Joan Ferrini-Mundy highlighted the university’s leadership at today’s Maine Blue Economy Innovation Summit. ‘You don’t get to focus on an economy without thinking about the people who make and drive that economy,’ she said.

On Maine’s rugged coast, where shipbuilding, fishing and working waterfronts have defined generations, leaders say the future is once again tied to the sea — this time through aquaculture, marine technology and research.

University of Maine President Joan Ferrini-Mundy told attendees at the 2025 Maine Blue Economy Innovation Summit that the state’s success depends not only on innovation, but also on the people prepared to drive it.

“You don’t get to focus on an economy without thinking about the people who make and drive that economy — and that will be our trained, skilled workforce,” Ferrini-Mundy said in her plenary address at the Holiday Inn Portland-By the Bay.

She recalled 91����’s history as a land grant university rooted in agriculture and forestry. That mission broadened more than 50 years ago when the university began federally funded research into cold-water marine environments — work that helped launch decades of leadership in the blue economy.

“Over the last five decades, of course, we’ve been a global leader in this state, in the blue economy,” she said. “It’s all about partnerships. It’s about communities coming together to bring this economy to a forefront that is critical for our state.”

Ferrini-Mundy highlighted the role of 91���� MARINE, the university’s hub for aquaculture and marine technology research, which connects faculty, students and industry partners across the state. 

She noted 91����’s network of coastal research facilities — including the Aquaculture Research Institute in Orono; the Center for Cooperative Aquaculture Research in Franklin; the Darling Marine Center in Walpole; and the Down East Institute in Beals, which serves as the Marine Science Field station for the University of Maine at Machias.

“Our researchers are working on sustainable aquaculture methods, new feed alternatives and innovations that strengthen Maine’s seafood sector,” she said.

She added that 91���� scientists also collaborate with boatbuilders and coastal communities on projects ranging from vessel design to extreme weather. 

“We see ourselves as Maine’s research and development department, advancing basic science, applied research and innovation that keep our communities strong and our economy competitive,” Ferrini-Mundy said.

The Oct. 3 summit drew business leaders, researchers, policymakers and students from across the state. The agenda included plenary remarks, panel discussions, breakout sessions and an innovation showcase. Program tracks focused on aquaculture and fisheries, coastal engineering and boatbuilding, and community resilience.

Michael Duguay, commissioner of the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development, delivered the keynote address.

The sea has always shaped Maine’s economy, he said — from shipyards to lobster boats. What’s changing is how the state is harnessing that connection through aquaculture, advanced marine technology and ocean-based research.

“Our blue economy touches every coastal town in Maine,” Duguay said. “It supports tens of thousands of jobs, strengthens our working waterfronts and positions us to lead in industries of the future.”

Maine’s maritime industries have always been about adapting to change.

“Shipbuilding, fishing and maritime trade weren’t just industries — they were ways of life,” Duguay said. “But what defines us is the ability to evolve.”

That evolution is accelerating, with aquaculture leading the way.

“Maine is the largest producer of farmed seaweed in the United States, and the value of our aquaculture industry has doubled in the last decade,” Duguay said. “This isn’t just about oysters and mussels. It’s about kelp as a food source and as an input for everything from animal feed to cosmetics. It’s about salmon and trout farming to meet rising demand for protein.”

He also pointed to growth areas such as seafood processing, biotechnology and advanced materials.

“Our tradition of boatbuilding, combined with new composite technologies, positions Maine at the forefront of sustainable marine transportation,” he said. “And marine biotech — from pharmaceuticals to new materials — is another frontier where our researchers are already laying the groundwork.”

State support has been crucial in preparing the industry for its next phase, Duguay said. More than $10 million in grants were directed to businesses and nonprofits after last winter’s storms.

“Those grants prevented closures, retained local employment and helped rebuild stronger infrastructure,” he said.

That momentum extends to workforce development.

“By partnering with universities, community colleges and trade programs, we’re training Mainers for careers in aquaculture, boatbuilding and marine technology.”

91���� was central throughout the summit. Debbie Bouchard, director of the Aquaculture Research Institute, moderated a panel, while researchers Damian Brady and Sarah Barker shared the stage. Breakout sessions also featured 91���� experts from the Advanced Structures and Composites Center and Maine Sea Grant.

Visit to learn more about its efforts to grow the state’s blue economy.  

Contact: David Nordman, david.nordman@maine.edu