aquaculture for me

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2 Aquaculture for ME

Special thanks to those who supplied pictures for the book.

Steve Backman - Magellan Aqua FarmAlexandria Brasili - Herring Gut Learning Center

Togue Brawn - Maine Dayboat ScallopsCameron Bonsey - Coast of Maine Compost

Abigail Carroll - Nonesuch Oyster Co.Paul Dobbins - Ocean Approved LLC

Shep Erhardt - Maine Coast Sea VegetablesSoren Hansen - Sea & Reef Aquaculture LLC

Michael Pietrak, PhD., University of Maine Aquaculture Research InstituteBill Wolters, Ph.D. - National Cold Water Marine Aquaculture Research Facility

and the

This Book written especially for the

“Read ME Agriculture”Volunteer Reading Project

As a special gift to participatingPre-Kindergarten to Fourth grade Classrooms

From

MAINE AQUACULTURE ASSOCIATIONinfo@maineaquaculture.com

www.MaineAgintheClassroom.org

Aquaculture for you! 3

THANK YOU TO EVERY MAINE DRIVER THAT PROUDLY DISPLAYS THIS PLATE!

Special thank you to the“Aquaculture for ME” Book Writing Committee

Sebastian Belle, Executive Director - Maine Aquaculture AssociationCheryl Beyeler, Executive Director - Maine Dairy & Nutrition Council | Maine Dairy Promotion Board

Christine Bozak, MAITC Association Chairwoman, Best Berry FarmChuck Brown, Communications Manager - Cooke Aquaculture

Rhonda Cook, Project Coordinator - Maine Aquaculture AssociationChris V. Davis, Ph.D., Director - Maine Aquaculture Innovation Center & owner of Pemaquid Oyster Co.

Anne Langston, Associate Director - Aquaculture Research InstituteDana Morse, Extension Associate - Maine Sea Grant College Program & UMaine Cooperative Extension

Kellie Peters, Author & Teacher - Camden-Rockport Elementary & and co-owner of Norumbega Oyster, Inc.Margaret Pietrak, Science Teacher - William S Cohen School - Bangor School Department

Lynda Richards-Stocks, Marketing Manager - Calendar Island Mussel Farm

Editor – Willie Sawyer Grenier – MAITC Executive Director

Photo Editor – Elaine Stedman

Aquaculture for MEMade possible by the State of Maine Agricultural Development Grant

and funding fromThe Maine Aquaculture Association and

Our Maine Agriculture Specialty License Plate

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Aquaculture is farmingin the water.

Why do you thinkaquaculture is so important?

Aquaculture for ME

Aquaculture for you! 5

Most of the earth is covered by water.

6

With so many

people we needmore

space to grow

food!

Aquaculture for ME

Aquaculture for you! 7

Aquaculture started thousands of years

ago in China.

The first water farms in the United States

raised finfish.

Maine aquaculture started over 100 years

ago in Boothbay.

Aroostook

Piscataquis

Penobscot

Washington

Hancock

Somerset

Waldo

KnoxLincoln

Oxford

Franklin

Kennebec

York

NEW

HAMPSHIRE

NEW

BRUNSWICK

QUEBEC

ATLANTIC OCEAN

N

S

EW

AndroscogginSagadahoc

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Cumberland

Aquaculture for you! 9

Now aquaculture is all across our State!Can you find the 10 different types

of water farms on the map?

Hatchery

Baitfish

Oysters

Scallops

Mussels

Halibut

Trout

Seaweed

Urchin

Salmon

Maine Water Farm LegendBaitfish are small fish used to catch larger fish.

Halibut are large, flat fish with white meat.

A Hatchery is where the baby water plants and animals are hatched and grown.

Mussels are shellfish that have two smooth, tear-shaped, bluish-black shells that attach to things with strong threads.

Oysters are shellfish with thick, rough, grayish, bumpy shells.

Atlantic Salmon are medium-size fish with pink meat that are hatched in fresh water and grow in the ocean.

Scallops are shellfish with two round, tan shells that have eyes around the edge and can swim.

Seaweed are water plants that are farmed for food, medicine, and other uses.

Trout are colorful fish grown to stock ponds and brooks for people to catch.

Urchins are green, spiky, baseball-sized shellfish.

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Use these pictures to compare

Planting

Equipment

Aquaculture for you! 11

Growing

Harvest

farming on land and in the water.

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Water farms need clean water togrow healthy plants and animals.

Michael Hawkins Photography

Aquaculture for you! 13

How can you help keep Maine waters clean?

Let’s take a look at some different water farms.We will start at the hatchery, visit the

growing site, and even see the food these farms provide for all of us to eat.

Photo by John Ewing / P

ortland Press

Herald

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Finfish start in hatcheries aseggs and grow into small fish.

Eggs

Associated Press Photo

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These small fish grow in sea farms on theocean until they are ready to go to market.

Aquaculture for ME16

Microscopic shellfish larvae grow until they settle to the bottom

or attach themselves to ropes or rocks, then are called seed.

Larvae

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Shellfish seed will be grown to adult size inbaskets, on rafts, and on the ocean bottom.

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Kelp and other seaweed start as spores that are released into the water by adult plants. The

spores attach to twine in the hatchery.

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The seeded twine is wrapped around long ropes that are dropped in the cold ocean water. It will

be ready to harvest in three or four months.

Aquaculture for ME

Some Maine water farmers growother animals like these.

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Aquarium Fish

TroutBaitfish

Sea Urchins

Clams

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Many other products come from aquaculture.

Compost

Pharmaceuticals

Toothpaste Cosmetics

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Aquaculture farmers usescience, technology, engineering

and math to do their jobs.

Food from the sea tastes great and is good for you!

Aquaculture for you! 23

Today’s Menu!(clockwise from bottom left)

1. Kelp Krunch Bars

2. Steamed Mussels

3. Blueberry-Kelp Smoothie

4. Thai Red Curry Seaweed

5. Glazed Salmon on a Stick

6. Kelp Noodles1.

2.

3.

4.5.

6.

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Would you like to be a water farmer?

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What would youwant to be?

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Aquaculture will need new water farmers togrow more food and continue to protectMaine’s rivers, streams, lakes and ocean.

They will need to provide nutritious

food for the world’s growing number of

hungry people!

27Aquaculture for you!

Scal

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Sea

Urc

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Hal

ibut

Bait

fish

Aqu

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ish

AquAculturefor you!