Aquaculture in Shared Waters

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Aquaculture in Shared Waters

Aquaculture in Shared WatersAquaculture in Shared WatersAquaculture in Shared Waters
Home
Aquaculture Boot Camp
2024 Women in Aquaculture
About
Courses
Contact
More
  • Home
  • Aquaculture Boot Camp
  • 2024 Women in Aquaculture
  • About
  • Courses
  • Contact
  • Home
  • Aquaculture Boot Camp
  • 2024 Women in Aquaculture
  • About
  • Courses
  • Contact

2024 Aquaculture Boot Camp

May 20-24, 2024 | WALPOLE, ME

About

The Aquaculture Boot Camp will deliver essential skill-building training exercises to prepare new entrants to shellfish and kelp farming as practiced in Maine. Our student cohort, working together in small groups, will engage in hands-on activities fundamental to working safely around the water.


This five day workshop is free of charge and includes overnight accommodations at the Darling Marine Center for those who are unable to commute to the classes.


Skill building modules will include topics such as:


  • Small vessel handling and maneuvering
  • Knots, lines, and splicing
  • Mooring systems design and construction
  • Shellfish gear construction
  • Basic inshore navigation & rules of the road
  • Introduction to trailering
  • Shellfish husbandry systems operation
  • Seeding and harvesting of kelp lines
  • Engine and pump maintenance ...and more!


This 2024 Aquaculture Boot Camp is hosted in partnership with Aquaculture in Shared Waters, which has helped people start and improve their aquaculture businesses in Maine since 2012, and Washington County Community College.

Applications are now Closed

Join our email list to learn about future training opportunities

AQSW Email List

2024 BOOT CAMP details

Click below to find out out more about this five day boot camp.

May 20 -24, 2024, 8am - 5pm daily.


The workshop will be held 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, startup entrepreneurs and aquaculture-focused students. 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)
  • Students pursuing an aquaculture degree or aquaculture training certificate
  • 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 20-24, 2024. 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. 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 be awarded “badges” though MAIC’s partnership with the Washington County Community College


Expert BooT camp Instructors

Boot Camp Instructors are comprised of practicing aquaculture experts and specialists in the Maine shellfish and seaweed farming sectors:


  • Sydney Avena, Maine Aquaculture Innovation Center
  • Chris Davis, Maine Aquaculture Innovation Center
  • Annie Fagan, Maine Sea Grant
  • Annie Langston-Noll, Maine Aquaculture Innovation Center
  • Smokey McKeen, Pemaquid Oyster Company
  • Dana Morse, Maine Sea Grant & University of Maine Cooperative Extension
  • Dylan Parrish, Pemaquid Oyster Company
  • Maya Pelletier, Maine Aquaculture Innovation Center
  • Jaclyn Robidoux, Maine Sea Grant
  • Adam St. Gelais, University of Maine Aquaculture Research Institute
  • Alicia Witham, Carpenter’s Boatshop

2024 Workshop Directors

Chris Davis

Chris Davis

Chris Davis

Executive Director, Maine Aquaculture Innovation Center

(he/him)


Chris has directed the MAIC since 2004 and is a founding member of the AQSW team. He is also a founding partner in the Pemaquid Oyster Company and loves to share his experience starting an oyster farm with others so that they avoid the mistakes he made establishing a new busin

Executive Director, Maine Aquaculture Innovation Center

(he/him)


Chris has directed the MAIC since 2004 and is a founding member of the AQSW team. He is also a founding partner in the Pemaquid Oyster Company and loves to share his experience starting an oyster farm with others so that they avoid the mistakes he made establishing a new business. Recently, Chris dipped his boots into the world of kelp farming and although excited, he readily admits he has much to learn.


Annie Fagan

Chris Davis

Chris Davis

Marine Extension Associate,

Maine Sea Grant 

(she/her)


Annie joined Maine Sea Grant as the Maine Aquaculture Hub Coordinator and a marine extension associate in 2023. Annie’s background in applied research, outdoor education, and shellfish husbandry brought her to aquaculture. She is a USCG licensed captain based at the Darling Marine Center

Marine Extension Associate,

Maine Sea Grant 

(she/her)


Annie joined Maine Sea Grant as the Maine Aquaculture Hub Coordinator and a marine extension associate in 2023. Annie’s background in applied research, outdoor education, and shellfish husbandry brought her to aquaculture. She is a USCG licensed captain based at the Darling Marine Center in Walpole. Her favorite fancy oyster topping is a blueberry mignonette.

This workshop is funded by the Maine Aquaculture Hub & MAIC

Partner Organizations

Logo for Maine Sea Grant with a bird in flight
Logo for the Maine Aquaculture Innovation Center with a fish, oyster, and piece of kelp
Logo for the Maine Aquaculture Association with two hands opening to fish, oyster, and seaweed
Logo for Coastal Enterprises Inc, a red rectangle with the letters CEI in the middle
Logo for the University of Maine School of Marine Sciences

Questions about the Aquaculture Boot Camp?

Questions about the Aquaculture Boot Camp?

Questions about the Aquaculture Boot Camp?

Drop us a line on our 

contact page or reach out to us directly at aquacultureinsharedwaters@gmail.com

Contact us

Interested in other Trainings?

Questions about the Aquaculture Boot Camp?

Questions about the Aquaculture Boot Camp?

Aquaculture in Shared Waters offers regular trainings for folks interested in starting or expanding aquaculture farms. Join our interested parties list to receive info about future courses.

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Copyright © 2024 Aquaculture in Shared Waters Training Program - All Rights Reserved.  

Photo Credits: Joseph Conroy III;  Jaclyn Robidoux and Kathy Tenga-Gonzalez (Maine Sea Grant)

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