Aquaculture in Shared Waters (AQSW) is a community-based aquaculture training program which offers trainings for fishermen and sea farmers based in Maine. Over the past decade, AQSW programs have trained over five hundred commercial fishermen, working waterfront professionals, and aquaculture entrepreneurs how to responsibly start and improve shellfish and seaweed businesses. Designed and taught by leading industry, regulatory, and scientific experts, AQSW programs cover technical, need-to-know topics for aquaculturists and offer hands-on opportunities, business planning, one-on-one mentoring, and access to financing to provide participants long-term support in building sustainable careers and farms.
Developments in this training program have paralleled the growth of aquaculture in Maine and across the U.S.–integrating the most current research and technology into the curriculum, expanding formats to serve new audiences, and building responsive programming that addresses the emerging needs and priorities of the industry. This work is supported by ten years of integrated social science research which provides insights into participants’ motivations for seeking aquaculture training and evaluates program effectiveness to continually improve the learning experience for participants. Stewarded by several partner organizations AQSW has earned national recognition as a leading aquaculture training model.
In this presentation, we’ll dive into the development and history of this long-standing program; chronicle its impacts; and discuss trends, changes, and lessons learned over the past decade. These insights will inform ongoing and future aquaculture training programs and reflect current needs in aquaculture workforce development.