Mainebiz

W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 21 S E P T E M B E R 4 , 2 0 1 7 F O C U S S TA R T U P S / E N T R E P R E N E U R S H I P for factors like increased acidity, temperature, salin- ity and oxygen concentration, in order to maintain healthy larval production and predict future impacts of climate change. is year's construction of a seawater-temperature-controlled holding facility is expected to enhance industry-wide bio-security mea- sures, already in place, that mitigate risks of outbreaks of pathogens in oysters that can be fatal to human. Also this year, he launched a new brand name for his oysters that, in addition to long-time brands, will accommodate expanded production. Mook started out growing various types of shellfi sh, but settled on oysters in the late 1990s, when the indus- try in general began taking off in Maine due to the availability of selectively bred disease-resistant oysters. "It was the inception of what I call 'the new oys- ter renaissance,'" Mook says. He and other early oyster growers, like Glidden Point Oyster Farms and Pemaquid Oyster Co., set- tled on the Damariscotta River, where pristine, cold Atlantic water mingles with warmer water upstream for a nutrient-rich environment. e industry today continues to grow, as newcomers enter the scene, the geographic scope of the industry expands, and oyster tourism initiatives take off . Small but growing industry Oysters are one of Maine's top three farmed species (along with Atlantic salmon and blue mussels), says the 2017 Maine Aquaculture Economic Impact Report, published by the University of Maine Aquaculture Research Institute. Maine has 65 to 80 oyster farms. Modern shellfi sh aquaculture in Maine started at Darling Marine Center in Walpole in the 1970s, when researcher Herb Hidu was hired by the University of Maine, according to the Darling Marine Center. Hidu established a program focusing on the cultivation of blue mussels and oysters. His eff orts led to many of his graduate students founding farms on the Damariscotta. Maine Department of Marine Resources data illustrate harvest growth: from 2 million oysters in 2005, worth $848,338, to 7.6 million in 2015, worth $4.9 million. Production has long catered to the high-end market but new mid-market seafood shacks are popping up. Maine's oyster industry is growing but still rela- tively small, says Dana Morse, an extension associ- ate with Maine Sea Grant and University of Maine Cooperative Extension. Morse is based at DMC. $0M $1M $2M $3M $4M $5M 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 VALUE OF MAINE'S FARM-RAISED AMERICAN OYSTERS S O U R C E : Maine Department of Marine Resources Going to market M aine's oyster industry has grown market demand through initiatives like oyster farm tourism and a move away from strictly "white tablecloth" consump- tion to mid-market shacks. "Even traditional lobster shacks have oysters now," says Dana Morse. "I'm hearing of oyster pop-up din- ners and dedicated oyster bars." Maine Sea Grant — with the Maine Aquaculture Association, Maine Aquaculture Innovation Center and New York-based oyster blogger Julie Qiu — is developing a paper map to complement its evolving oyster trail website. "Oyster trails" work well elsewhere, Qiu says. "Virginia is the gold standard. Virginia's tourism board puts together media trips, visits to oyster farms and oyster events." Some farms, like Nonesuch Oysters in Scarborough, provide their own tours. Damariscotta River Cruises co- owners Olga Oros and Chip Holmes offer farm cruises, equipment demonstrations, and tastings. Holmes got the idea as caretaker of a local marina. "People were asking not only, 'How do I get out on the water?' but 'How do I learn about the oyster farms?'" he says. Oros markets the cruises through digital and print media, and cross-promotions with local inns. Passenger numbers have quadrupled in four years. Festivals help, too, says Mook. He's been part of the New York City Wine and Food Festival, where farms are paired with New York City chefs. "That chef will take that farm's oysters and cook it a certain way," he says. "People get their Bloody Marys or draft beer and sample as many oysters as they want. We go through a couple of thousand." 2002 Adam Kinney: Supervisor 2003 Jeffrey Abbott: Operations Manager 2004 Nicholas Wyman: Senior Equipment Operator 2004 Terri Strouse: Project Manager 2006 James Roberts: Supervisor 2007 Jason Collomy: Senior Equipment Operator 2007 Joshua Taylor: Foreman 2008 Michael Dellinger: Foreman And the list goes on… "It's our people, they're the difference." — Tom Shaw, President 2017 "Great people are the heart of this company." — Jim Shaw, Vice President C O N T I N U E D O N F O L L OW I N G PA G E » " e number of distinct oyster farming operations in Maine is increasing. But the state of Massachusetts, for example, has about 350 distinct oyster farming companies," says Morse. Virginia is the East Coast's largest farmed oyster producer, selling 35 million in 2015. "From the point of view of area covered, Maine's shellfi sh farming industry, including mussels, is about 700 acres, which is a pretty small footprint," Morse continues. "Across the nation, Maine is on the smaller end of the spectrum. Although we obvi- ously have the best oysters." Most of Maine's production centers on the Damariscotta, Morse says. But the geographic scope is expanding. "I've been on the job for 19 years and I've seen a couple of things happen," he says. "We've seen a change in the locations in which farmers are growing their oysters. is means outside of the Damariscotta, but also in areas that, 15 years ago, people might not have given a second thought, but are turning out to

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