Northeast Aquaculture Conference Celebrates Innovation, Growth, and Community

The snow and cold temperatures in Portland, Maine, were no match for the energy of nearly 700 people who gathered this year for the joint 26th Northeast Aquaculture Conference and Expo and 45th Milford Aquaculture Seminar. With its largest-ever turnout, the conference highlighted the Northeast's growing aquaculture sector. In Maine alone, aquaculture has nearly tripled in economic impact since 2007. The meeting was co-hosted by the Maine Aquaculture Innovation Center and NOAA Fisheries Milford Lab from January 7-9, 2026.

Attendees learned from more than 100 presenters during 45 sessions over 3 days. Science presentations covered the latest research on shellfish, seaweed, sea urchin, and finfish aquaculture. A record 38 aquaculture vendors demonstrated the latest innovations in aquaculture gear technology during the largest-ever trade show. In addition, 78 students received support to attend and present their work. The meeting brought industry leaders, scientific researchers, resource managers, extension specialists and students into the same room to discuss the future of sustainable farmed seafood production in the Northeast.

The conference kicked off with a welcome address by Danielle Blacklock, director of the NOAA Office of Aquaculture. She highlighted the growing tailwinds toward expanding U.S. aquaculture production. This was followed by updates from U.S. states and Canadian provinces from Prince Edward Island, Canada, to Virginia. The Maine Aquaculture Association then presented Dr. Chris Davis, Maine Aquaculture Innovation Center's Innovator-in-Residence and co-founder of the meeting, with its inaugural lifetime achievement award.

Beyond the Lecture Hall: Field Trips and Workshops

The learning didn't stop with presentations; more than 200 attendees gained hands-on experience with aquaculture through four field trips and seven workshops.

Field trips included:

Workshops included:

• Farm design with Kelson Marine's aquaculture engineers
• Economics in action: Empowering aquaculture farms through business planning and financial management
• Introduction to marine electrification with Shred Electric and the New England Ocean Cluster
• Building strength, building skills, building community

"We enjoyed sitting down with seaweed and oyster farmers and other stakeholders and letting them experiment with how decisions about farm siting, design, and operations drive the cost of production up or down. The feedback we received about the importance of these insights was really encouraging," shared Tobias Dewhurst, CEO of Kelson Marine Co.

Meeting Innovative Aquaculture Businesses at the Trade Show

We caught up with several business owners who are innovating to lower the barrier for entry into the aquaculture industry and making sustainable gear.

Jon Steuber and Charlie Walsh both have experience lobster fishing. Together they co-founded Seascale and debuted their Maine Scallop Pot at the 2025 Maine Fishermen's Forum.

Steuber explained, "Traditionally the world of aquaculture and commercial fishing have been separate. We're actively bridging that gap by creating fishermen-focused solutions."

The Maine Scallop Pot is a modified lobster trap that allows fishermen to diversify their income by using their existing set up to grow sea scallops in addition to catching lobster. Walsh explained, "our gear is a low cost, fishermen-focused innovation. It is a win for food production and economic development in coastal communities."

Willy Leathers co-founded Maine Ocean Farms, growing oysters in South Freeport, Maine. It was on the farm that Willy came up with the idea for his latest project. Ocean Farms Supply makes sustainable ocean harvest bags for shellfish farms that are made of beechwood fiber, an alternative to plastic. "Beechwood fiber is durable, compostable, and meets the needs of shellfish growers while minimizing waste," explained Leathers. For him, the trade show was the perfect place to meet with shellfish growers and gather ideas.

Aquaculture is made possible by many small businesses. This conference is a prime opportunity for them to catch up with their customers-the growers who use their gear. "This meeting is like catching up with friends and it makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside. I enjoy seeing how well our customers are doing, and we like to thank their success if also a reflection upon us," shared Bob Ketcham, founder of Ketcham Supply, a company that has been supplying fishing and aquaculture gear since 1975.

Cultivating the Future: Education and Workforce Development

Several sessions focused on developing the aquaculture workforce and cultivating the next generation of growers and scientists through education, internships, and apprenticeships. Innovative programs throughout the Northeast shared their best practices for matching students' skills and hands-on experience with the aquaculture sector's growing workforce needs, including:

Maya Pelletier, workforce and education manager at Maine Aquaculture Innovation Center, chaired an education session. During the session, the University of Maine Cooperative Extension shared virtual field trips they created to make visiting Maine's aquaculture farms accessible to more K-12 students. Pelletier explained, "Kids don't want to just learn about problems, they want to be part of solutions. We're tying aquaculture to science, business, and the environment. High school pre-apprenticeships and career exportation allow students to build skills that you need on the water or to manage a business."

Celebrating Indigenous Aquaculture in Maine

This year's conference featured its first-ever panel discussion about Indigenous-led aquaculture projects. The inspiring panel included Wabanaki Confederacy tribal members from the Mi'kmaq Nation, Penobscot Nation, and Passamaquoddy Nation. They shared how aquaculture supports local economies and fosters community health, wellbeing, and cultural identity, as well as Indigenous food sovereignty-the right of the tribes to grow their own culturally significant food.

For Maine's tribes, aquaculture ties centuries of traditional ecological knowledge with contemporary practices. A share-and-give arrangement exists between the tribes. For example, they use a refrigerated truck to share their locally harvested food, taking care of elders first. Culturally relevant recipes are passed down through oral tradition, although many were lost during the years of the reservation system. Aquaculture is a form of healing and restoring deep connections to the land and water.

The Mi'kmaq Nation operates a sustainable land-based brook trout hatchery in northern Maine. Programs including Wabanaki Youth in Science and an internship program with the University of Maine Orono provide hands-on experiences to Tribal youth and encourage persistence in science. Tribal members described weaving ceremony into aquaculture projects, for example singing a traditional song while deploying the first kelp line of a seaweed farm.

Shannon Hill, chair of the panel and Environmental Director for the Mi'kmaq Nation, explained, "Our message is: Don't count us out. We're just as connected to the water and lands as the fishermen. We want to work with them and not against them for the betterment of the industry."

The Aquaculture Industry Embraces Worker Safety

Working on aquaculture farms can be physically demanding. As many growers spend time in the field and are exposed to the elements, worker safety and well-being was an important topic this year. A panel discussion moderated by Christian Brayden of Maine Aquaculture Association focused on workplace safety in the aquaculture industry. Another led by Antonia Small of Maine AgrAbility focused on physical and mental wellbeing in working waterfront communities. Participants learned strategies to reduce wear and tear on their bodies while building strength for longevity. The discussion emphasized the importance of movement, recovery, and long-term sustainability in aquaculture careers.

"Protecting worker safety in aquaculture includes similar measures to fishing, such as using personal flotation devices and preparing for worst-case scenarios," explained Antonia Small, "but it also means investing in the well-being of the people doing the work. Practices that support strength, recovery, and adaptability help make aquaculture careers more sustainable as equipment, seasons, and oceans continue to change."

The next joint conference will be held in January 2028, while the next Milford Aquaculture Seminar will be held in Shelton, Connecticut, in January 2027.