Document Type

Report

Publisher

Maine Sea Grant College Program

Rights and Access Note

Rights assessment remains the responsibility of the researcher. No known restrictions on publication.

Publication Date

2009

Publisher location

Orono, ME

Publication Number

NRAC Publication No. 105-2009

Abstract/ Summary

The Maine aquaculture industry is diverse, with a variety of marine and freshwater species raised. Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar) production dominates in terms of value and pounds harvested. The 2008 data from the Maine Department of Marine Resources (DMR) estimate over 19 million pounds produced with a value of $56.6 million. This figure is down from a high of over 36 million pounds in 2000.

Shellfish production is dominated by the eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) and the blue mussel (Mytilus edulis); DMR 2008 figures estimate landed values of $2 million and $640K USD for these species respectively.

A separate 2007 study estimated the total value of all aquaculture species in the state at roughly $30 million: $22 million for finfish (salmon, trout, and baitfish), $3 million for shellfish (oysters and mussels), $2 million for hatchery production (shellfish and finfish for restocking) and over $2 million for research and development (O'Hare, 2007). This indicates that salmon production more than doubled between 2007 and 2008, from over 8 million pounds to over 19 million, and the value rose in consequence. The increase in production is due to continued investment in salmon production as well as recovery from the drastic reductions that were caused by Infectious Salmon Anemia virus earlier in the decade. Now, effective management and biosecurity protocols are in place, and salmon production is back to where it was in 1996.

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