Seaweed
for
Mussels
Salmon
Trout
Oysters
Aquaculture
ME
This Book written especially for the
“Read ME Agriculture” Volunteer Reading Project As a special gift to participating Pre-Kindergarten to Fourth grade Classrooms From
www.MaineAgintheClassroom.org
and the MAINE AQUACULTURE ASSOCIATION info@maineaquaculture.com
Special thanks to those who supplied pictures for the book. Steve Backman - Magellan Aqua Farm Alexandria Brasili - Herring Gut Learning Center Togue Brawn - Maine Dayboat Scallops Cameron Bonsey - Coast of Maine Compost Abigail Carroll - Nonesuch Oyster Co. Paul Dobbins - Ocean Approved LLC Shep Erhardt - Maine Coast Sea Vegetables Soren Hansen - Sea & Reef Aquaculture LLC Michael Pietrak, PhD., University of Maine Aquaculture Research Institute Bill Wolters, Ph.D. - National Cold Water Marine Aquaculture Research Facility
2
Aquaculture for ME
Aquaculture for ME Made possible by the State of Maine Agricultural Development Grant and funding from The Maine Aquaculture Association and Our Maine Agriculture Specialty License Plate
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 Association Cheryl Beyeler, Executive Director - Maine Dairy & Nutrition Council | Maine Dairy Promotion Board Christine Bozak, MAITC Association Chairwoman, Best Berry Farm Chuck Brown, Communications Manager - Cooke Aquaculture Rhonda Cook, Project Coordinator - Maine Aquaculture Association Chris V. Davis, Ph.D., Director - Maine Aquaculture Innovation Center & owner of Pemaquid Oyster Co. Anne Langston, Associate Director - Aquaculture Research Institute Dana 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 you!
3
Aquaculture is farming in the water.
Why do you think aquaculture is so important? 4
Aquaculture for ME
Most of the earth is covered by water. Aquaculture for you!
5
With so many people we need more space to grow food!
6
Aquaculture for ME
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.
Aquaculture for you!
7
N W
N E W
E
Aroostook
B R U N S W I C K
S Piscataquis
QUEBEC
Somerset Penobscot
kl
an Fr in
Washington
Ha
N E W
Waldo
Oxford
Kennebec Androscoggin Lincoln Sa ga da ho c
Knox
nd
rla be
m
8
k
Cu
H A M P S H I R E
nc oc
York
Aquaculture for ME
ATLANTIC OCEAN
Maine Water Farm Legend Baitfish
Baitfish are small fish used to catch larger fish.
Halibut
Halibut are large, flat fish with white meat.
Hatchery
A Hatchery is where the baby water plants and animals are hatched and grown. Mussels are shellfish that have two smooth, tear-shaped, bluishblack shells that attach to things with strong threads.
Mussels
Oysters are shellfish with thick, rough, grayish, bumpy shells.
Oysters
Salmon
Scallops are shellfish with two round, tan shells that have eyes around the edge and can swim.
Scallops
Seaweed are water plants that are farmed for food, medicine, and other uses.
Seaweed Trout Urchin
Atlantic Salmon are medium-size fish with pink meat that are hatched in fresh water and grow in the ocean.
Trout are colorful fish grown to stock ponds and brooks for people to catch. Urchins are green, spiky, baseball-sized shellfish.
Now aquaculture is all across our State! Can you find the 10 different types of water farms on the map?
Aquaculture for you!
9
Planting
Use these pictures to compare
Equipment 10
Aquaculture for ME
farming on land and in the water.
Growing
Harvest Aquaculture for you!
11
Water farms need clean water to grow healthy plants and animals.
12
Aquaculture for ME
Michael Hawkins Photography
How can you help keep Maine waters clean?
g/
hn
y Jo
ob
ot Ph
in Ew
ss Pre and
d
ral
He
l
t Por
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. Aquaculture for you!
13
Finfish start in hatcheries as eggs and grow into small fish.
Eggs
Associated Press Photo
14
Aquaculture for ME
These small fish grow in sea farms on the ocean until they are ready to go to market. Aquaculture for you!
15
Larvae
Microscopic shellfish larvae grow until they settle to the bottom or attach themselves to ropes or rocks, then are called seed. 16
Aquaculture for ME
Shellfish seed will be grown to adult size in baskets, on rafts, and on the ocean bottom.
Aquaculture for you!
17
Kelp and other seaweed start as spores that are released into the water by adult plants. The spores attach to twine in the hatchery. 18
Aquaculture for ME
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 you!
19
Some Maine water farmers grow other animals like these.
Clams
Aquarium Fish
Baitfish
Trout
Sea Urchins
20
Aquaculture for ME
Compost
Many other products come from aquaculture.
Pharmaceuticals
Toothpaste
Cosmetics Aquaculture for you!
21
Aquaculture farmers use science, technology, engineering and math to do their jobs.
22
Aquaculture for ME
Food from the sea tastes great and is good for you!
3.
5.
4. 2.
enu) ! M s ’ y a Tod om bottom left (clockwise
1.
fr
s nch Bar u r K p l 1. Ke ls d Musse e m a e t othie S 2. elp Smo K y r r e ed 3. Blueb y Seawe r r u C d Re ck 4. Thai on a Sti n o m l a dS 5. Glaze Noodles 6. Kelp
6. Aquaculture for you!
23
Would you like to be a water farmer?
24
Aquaculture for ME
What would you want to be?
Aquaculture for you!
25
Aquaculture will need new water farmers to grow more food and continue to protect Maine’s rivers, streams, lakes and ocean.
26
Aquaculture for ME
They will need to provide nutritious food for the world’s growing number of hungry people!
Aquaculture for you!
27
Aquarium Fish
Baitfish
Halibut
Sea Urchins
Scallops
Aquaculture for you!