Maine has experienced notable growth in oyster aquaculture over the past decade. This was initially led by the expansion of existing farms, and supplemented by the entrance and subsequent growth of a new cohort of oyster farmers. From a social perspective, an increase in the number and size of oyster farms has led to increased user conflict due to lease siting, lost gear, etc. From a production perspective, especially the newer farmers must understand how to grow their farms from nascent to full-scale while maintaining safe, high-quality products.
The Best Management Practices (BMPs) for oyster aquaculture in Maine provide oyster farmers with a guide on how to best site, set-up, and operate their farms following best practices set by the sector. The BMPs address the social, production, and economic aspects that influence oyster aquaculture in Maine and provide farmers with steps to success in each category . This work builds on the Maine Aquaculture Innovation Center’s work detailing how to improve and leverage social license for aquaculture in Maine.