From fishers to farmers: Assessing aquaculture adoption in a training program for commercial fishers

Coastal communities in Maine are highly dependent on marine resources, especially the American lobster, Homarus americanus H. Milne-Edwards, 1837, fishery. Overreliance on a single species poses a precarious socioeconomic situation for these communities. Shellfish and seaweed aquaculture is viewed as a diversification strategy for fishers; however, the adoption of aquaculture by Maine fishers is understudied. The Aquaculture in Shared Waters program trains commercial fishers in shellfish and seaweed aquaculture, and provides an opportunity to understand the types of commercial fishers who are considering adoption. Here, we summarize initial findings from an ongoing longitudinal study of training program participants that aims to understand the process of integrating fishing and farming. We utilized participant observations, semi-structured interviews, and structured surveys to gather data on individual characteristics, motivations for considering aquaculture, and perceptions of barriers to the adoption of aquaculture. Most fishers report being interested in aquaculture as a diversification strategy and are most concerned about aspects of running an aquaculture operation. They report less concern about environmental uncertainty, the regulatory process, and community relations. Initial findings will guide future inquiry with commercial fishers about aquaculture integration, as well as provide practitioners with additional information to tailor future training.