Forum coordinator Chilloa Young said that many people use the forum as an opportunity to have face-to-face conversations about the topics of their concern. The seminar has topics like “Updated and New Innovative Gear Technology”, “Shellfish Management and More” and “Owning Your Product from Dock to Plate”. The seminar on gear technology looked at four recent innovations in fishing gear.
Sally Sherman of the Maine Department of Marine Resources said that the Dana Morse of the Maine Sea Grant Program and Kelo Pinkham of the F/V Jeanne C presented their adjustments to recently developed trawl nets. She said it gives us immense knowledge on the use and abuse of nets. Sherman also informed that pinkham added a series of weights to the nets to keep them lower to the ocean floor so they are effective in catching fish. The nets also have floats to prevent them from doing damage.
Ben and Alex Brickett of Blue Water concepts presented “innovations in fixed gear technology,” which showed a lobster trap that can release unwanted catch at the bottom of the ocean, where it will be less vulnerable. They also presented a device that is attached to the lines on a lobster trap to cut the lines if a certain amount of tension is exerted on it.
At shellfish management seminar there was discussion on the passage of a law that would give municipalities control of mussels located in intertidal zones. In another seminar “Owning Your Products from Dock to Plate” a number of guests from the Midcoast spoke about ways to innovate the sales of fish, through both value-added products and creative sales techniques.
Lucie Bauer said people are willing to learn latest and save technology for fishing as the fishermen are involved in conserving not mining the ocean’s resources.
