2025 Aquaculture Boot Camp

May 5-9, 2025, 8am - 5pm daily.

The workshop will be based at the University of Maine’s Darling Marine Center in Walpole, Maine (near Damariscotta). Lying along the Damariscotta River, the facility is perfectly suited to both on-the-water and shoreside activities.

This workshop is intended to provide fundamental training and skill development for new hires and new farmers. We expect this workshop to be oversubscribed as we are limiting attendance to 24 participants. It is our intent to select a diverse group of participants to attend.

In the case of high interest, we will prioritize applications from applicants in the following groups:

• New employees on aquaculture farms (less than 1 year of experience)
• Recent employees on aquaculture farms (1-3 years experience)
• Small-scale operators/farm owners (1-3 years of farm operations)
• Current participants in Maine-based aquaculture pre-apprenticeship, internship, or externship programs

The course is free of charge to all participants and runs from May 5-9, 2025. You must be a full-time resident of Maine to participate. Participants must commit to attending every day. In order to encourage community-building and connections within the student cohort, we will prioritize those applicants with the most compelling reasons for why they will benefit from the course.

Housing will be available on the Darling Marine Center campus. The Darling Marine Center has a dormitory (shared rooms for two) and housing costs will be covered for accepted participants.

Lunch will be provided for participants during the five-day workshop. Brooke Dining Hall at the Darling Marine Center can accommodate a variety of dietary restrictions and preferences. Students will be responsible for their own breakfasts and evening meals, with the option to purchase breakfast onsite. There are grocery stores and restaurants within a 15 minute drive of the Darling Marine Center. There is also a shared kitchen available on campus for students who wish to cook their own meals.

• Proficiency in key aspects of kelp and shellfish husbandry, maritime skills, and other topics covered in the course
• Networking opportunities among a small student cohort of active aquaculturists and an instructor group of industry professionals and experts
• Those completing the workshop will have the opportunity to be awarded “badges” though MAIC’s partnership with the Washington County Community College