Marsden Brewer and his son Bob heading out to their scallop farm leases
The Maine Fishermen’s Forum is an annual event held over the first weekend in March at the Samoset Resort in Rockport, Maine.
Fishermen, sea farmers, gear suppliers, state and federal scientists and regulators join other stakeholders.
Marsden Brewer, pioneer scallop farmer and now Chairman of the Board at Maine Center for Coastal Fisheries, will be presenting. MCCF’s lead scientist Carla Guenter will be a panelist on Saturday, March 2 at 9:00-10:15 a.m. Scallops in our Communities, Shaping the Future for this Briny Morsel
“Scallops have been an integral piece of Maine’s coastal fishery portfolio and continue to provide critical diversity for fishing communities complementing the summer/fall lobster fishery with winter work. What is scallop’s role in the future of our fishing businesses and communities as climate changes and resilience strategies are built?
Our goals for this session are to engage the scallop industries (harvesters, growers, and dealers) in our discussion of priorities involving the role of the scallop resource in our collective future. What are research, management, and community goals looking forward to the next 15 years?
Saturday,March 2 at 1:00- 2:30 p.m. What Works (and what doesn’t) for Diversifying your Fishing Business – Lessons and Advice from those that have done it.
In this session the audience will hear directly from fishermen and women who have diversified their operations about their expansion into shellfish and/or seaweed aquaculture.
Presenters : Sam Belknap, Director, Center for Marine Economy, Island Institute; Steve Train, lobsterman/aquaculturist, Long Island; Krista Tripp, lobsterman/aquaculturist, Spruce Head; Marsden Brewer, lobsterman/aquaculturist, Stonington; Scott Lord, lobsterman/aquaculturist, Tenants Harbor; Karen Cooper, lobstermen/aquaculturist, Vinalhaven”
To follow the latest on scallop aquaculture be sure to check Marsden's website, www.penbayfarmedscallops.com
and check out their Facebook page. Our fishermen trying to diversify with their same boat, same crew and local knowledge need some support.. Since constant testing for biohazards is necessary but currently prohibitively expensive we need to start there. Surely we all need to step up and support our local owner-operated fishing force.