Marine

Shellfish lovers invited to sample mussels at 91¸£Àû on June 28

June 26, 2023 Food scientists at the University of Maine are seeking taste testers for a new mussel recipe on Wednesday, June 28.  Sarah Gundermann, a Master’s of Food Science student in the lab of Professor Denise Skonberg, developed a new marinating and cooking process to prepare ready-to-eat mussels.  Testers will spend 15–20 minutes tasting […]

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The pathobiology and disease ecology of aquatic pathogens in Maine

Aquaculture remains the fastest-growing agricultural sector and has seen an annual growth rate grow of 4% to 7% year on year over the last decade. If Maine aquaculture is to remain economically viable, the industry must stay at the forefront of aquatic animal health and develop an improved understanding of the ecology and control of […]

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lab work

Contaminant effects on Maine finfish

Arsenic contamination of watersheds is particularly problematic in Maine with its high levels of arsenic in underlying bedrock that contaminate groundwater at levels that often exceed EPA allowable safe limits (10 ppb). Relatively little, however, is known about the effects of arsenic at these low levels of exposure. Fish may be particularly vulnerable as they […]

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lobster boat

Developing value-added products for the lobster industry

Lobster is the icon for Maine. In fact, over 70% of the lobsters landed in the U.S. are landed in Maine, and the only lobster-processing facilities in the U.S. are in Maine. There are nearly 6,000 lobster licenses issued in Maine each year, with about 4,300 commercially active. While the lobster fishery in Maine has […]

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Wheeler lab

In vivo innate immune responses to fungal infection

Fisheries and aquaculture industries are important to the economic health of Maine, yet we still understand little about how the fish immune system fights disease. Mycosis is an important problem in the wild and in aquaculture, and greater understanding of the immune response to fungal infection will contribute to our ability to control fungal pathogens […]

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fishermen's coop sign

The American lobster settlement index

Lobsters are the single most valuable fishery in the state of Maine, and among the top two fisheries in New England and Atlantic Canada. The American Lobster Settlement Index (ALSI) has been a long-standing indicator of the health of the lobster resource and is now entering a new phase of expansion. Over the years, analyses […]

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