Aquaculture has played a small yet increasing role in Maine’s marine economy since the 1970s. Today, there are roughly 150 individual aquaculture leases in the state, with an additional 200 operations in the pre-revenue stage. The current value of the Maine aquaculture sector is estimated to be over $100 million and is expected to expand in the coming years.
This growth has helped diversify Maine’s marine economy, which has become increasingly reliant on the state’s lobster fishery. Recent growth in aquaculture has not been unchallenged, primarily due to lack of aquaculture outreach and education in coastal communities. The Maine Aquaculture Association (MAA) has recognized the need to reach out to Maine communities to help them learn more about aquaculture in Maine – what it is, what we grow, and who grows it. To that end, the association has worked over the past three years to develop a series of educational videos formatted for social media that showcase growers’ operations and tell their personal stories. MAA has also spearheaded a 5-part series of short documentary-style films which have been distributed via in-person events, a local TV station and film festival, and social media. Both the educational videos and artistically produced films have generated media attention at the state and national level.
This talk will cover the basics of how these projects were produced, outcomes including metrics and community impact, lessons learned, and current projects in the works for the association. While Maine’s case may be unique, the lessons learned and strategies taken by MAA can be applied to other settings across the world where professionals are looking to communicate the benefits of aquaculture to a diverse audience of stakeholders.