On Feb. 21, teachers from Casco Bay to Down East convened at Herring Gut Learning Center’s campus in Port Clyde for a day of immersion in the field of aquaculture with the goal of developing strategies for incorporating it into their curricula. The workshop was the result of the increased recognition aquaculture is receiving in the state of Maine as a viable option for coastal communities to maintain a robust economy with diversification into fields other than commercial fishing.
Category: In the news
WGAN’s Inside Maine with Senator Angus King and the Island Institute’s Suzanne MacDonald
Posted by Neil Arnold & filed under In the news.
On WGAN’s “Inside Maine,” U.S. Senator Angus King speaks with Suzanne MacDonald, community energy director at the Island Institute, about his recent trip to Alaska and the similar opportuniities for energy generation and conservation on Maine islands.
Just 1 word for Maine’s Future: Seaweed
Posted by Neil Arnold & filed under In the news.
Kelp, green and nutritious, could be Maine’s ticket into a multibillion-dollar global aquaculture industry.
The state’s nascent seaweed business is thriving, experts say, and that puts Maine in a front-row seat as the U.S. market for homegrown sea veggies grows. It could also help provide an alternative source of income for lobster fishermen subject to the constant challenges of fluctuating prices, changing ocean temperatures and unpredictable catches…
Faces of Ocean Planning: Rebecca Clark Uchenna of the Island Institute
Posted by Neil Arnold & filed under In the news.
Rebecca’s focus is on the regional ocean planning process currently underway in the Northeast. She and the Island Institute have worked tirelessly to lend voice to Maine’s many island communities – which are sizable drivers of the state’s economy – to ensure their needs are heard and incorporated into the region’s first Northeast Regional Ocean Plan.
Scott Sell: Maine filmmaker tells stories of fisheries roiled by climate change
Posted by Neil Arnold & filed under In the news.
This Tuesday in Portland, the Island Institute will screen “A Climate of Change,” four short films it produced about fisheries and the road ahead for Maine fisheries as our seas warm and rise. We called the filmmaker, Scott Sell, to talk about the project, which led him to the Gulf Coast of Florida as well as Alaska. While we were talking, we found out about that time he fell in love on Frenchboro.
Seaweed and Shellfish – Letter to the Editor
Posted by Neil Arnold & filed under In the news.
Susie Arnold, Marine scientist at Island Institute and Nichole Price, Senior research scientist at Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences respond to a Bangor Daily News editorial to clarify an important point about the capacity of seaweed to capture and store carbon, which can reduce ocean acidity.
Seaweed Farming May Be the Prescription for Troubled Waters
Posted by Neil Arnold & filed under In the news.
“But kelp farmers are doing a brisk business and the nascent industry holds the promise of filling the economic holes left by these collapsing fisheries. At Ocean Approved’s four-acre sugar kelp farm off the coast of Falmouth, Arnold installs a specially-designed pH and CO2 sensor. ‘As these beautiful deep green fronds mature to 14 to 20 feet, we expect CO2 and pH levels to drop, essentially creating a micro-climate of ocean healing while producing a healthy and profitable crop,’ explains Arnold.
The Chris Wolf Show explores the Maine islands with Rob Snyder of the Island Institute
Posted by Neil Arnold & filed under In the news.
Ever wonder what the Island Institute in Rockland, Maine does besides publishing the Working Waterfront and running Archipelago shop of island crafts? The answer is lots more than you think.
Our guest on the Wednesday, December 16, 2015 The Chris Wolf show will be Rob Snyder, Executive Director of the Island Institute.
Island Fellow joins staff at arts center
Posted by Neil Arnold & filed under In the news.
“Waters is an Island Institute Island Fellow working over a 12-month period with the Eastport Arts Center (EAC) on a number of projects, including the upcoming holiday market and Festival of Trees. However, her primary project is working on a Makers Place proposal in collaboration with the Tides Institute & Museum of Art and the Peavy Memorial Library.”
Island Institute report cites need for broadband on year-round islands
Posted by Neil Arnold & filed under In the news.
The Island Institute released a report Wednesday outlining the lack of broadband Internet access on Maine islands, options for solutions and the economic benefits of improved service.
The goal of the report from the Rockland nonprofit was to provide the island communities with information to help them make decisions about pursuing or funding any expansion of services.
