Maine Aquaculture Economic Impact Report

Aquaculture is the farming of aquatic organisms (such as finfish, shellfish or plants) in water (freshwater or marine). Aquaculture produces food fish, sport fish, bait fish, ornamental fish, crustaceans, mollusks, algae, sea vegetables, research animals, and fish eggs. Aquaculture also includes the production of ornamental fish for the aquarium trade, and growing plant species used in a range of food, pharmaceutical, nutritional, and biotechnology products. Stock restoration or “enhancement” is a form of aquaculture in which hatchery fish and shellfish are released into the wild to rebuild wild populations or coastal habitats such as oyster reefs. Business entities practicing stock enhancement did not report revenue for the purposes of this report