Shellfish Focus Day

Shellfish Focus Day Agenda (PDF)
Shellfish Focus Day Agenda (HTML)

Join us on Thursday March 5th from 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM at the Maine Fishermen’s Forum for Shellfish Focus Day, sponsored by the Maine Department of Marine Resources.

Final Agenda

Time

Topic/Speaker

8:30

Welcome and introduction (Lewis Pinkham & Kohl Kanwit)

Block 1: Interdisciplinary Approaches to Shellfish Conservation and Improving Water Quality (Moderators: Bridie McGreavy & Gabby Hillyer, University of Maine)

8:40

  • Maine Shellfish Learning Network, Dr. Bridie McGreavy, Gabby Hillyer (University of Maine, Orono)

Panel Discussion

  • DNA testing to find and fix water pollution in the St. Georges River, David Taylor and Ed Courtney

  • Diversifying Georgetown’s shellfish resources, Marissa McMahan

  • Microbial source tracking to find and fix pollution in Deer Isle‐ Stonington, George Powell

  • Shoreline surveys in Yarmouth to identify pollution sources, Judy Colby‐George

9:30

Questions and discussion with audience

9:55

Break

Block 2: Applied Shellfish Science (Moderator: Marissa McMahan, Manomet)

10:15

  • Quahog clam and American oyster polyculture, Jordan Kramer (Winnegance Oyster Farm)

  • Does brushing work? Dr. Brian Beal (Downseast Institute, DEI)

  • Community clam culture, Kyle Pepperman (DEI)

11:15

Panel discussion

11:45

Lunch

Block 3: Emerging Environmental Risks (Moderator: Kohl Kanwit, ME DMR)

12:45

  • Harmful Algal Blooms, Carol White and Julia Maine (C.A. White & Associates, LLC)

  • Shellfish disease, Cem Giray (Kennebec River Biosciences)

  • Public health risks related to animal sources, Kohl Kanwit (Maine DMR)

1:15

Panel discussion with presenters and panelists: Nate Perry (Pine Point Oyster Company), Marcy Nelson (Maine DMR), Terry Watson (shellfish harvester, oyster grower, Clam Hunter Seafood), Vincent Clough (Bayley’s Lobster Pound), and Christopher Schillaci (NOAA Fisheries)

Block 4: Community Outreach and Education to Support Shellfish Management

(Moderator: Chris Petersen, College of the Atlantic)

1:45

Building capacity within and across communities to help manage the soft‐shell clam fishery in a changing environment

  • Mike Thalhauser (Maine Center for Coastal Fisheries, MCCF)

  • Bill Zoellick and Sarah Hooper (Schoodic Institute); Mike Pinkham (Gouldsboro Shellfish Warden)

2:15

Update on the Shellfish Advisory Council, Lewis Pinkham, Chair, ShAC

2:30

Panel discussion

Poster Session & Networking Hour

3:00

Posters, videos, and gear will be displayed throughout the room

  • Refreshments will be available

4:00

Adjourn