Fish Farming and Aquaculture

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Questions and Answers

What is the purpose of the 'Cod Academy' program in Maine?

To train fishermen to become fish farmers and help commercial fishers find a new way to carry out their trade

Where are the circular pens located that hold the cod?

About one and a half kilometers out to sea

What is the name of the company that operates the only commercial cod farm in Maine?

Great Bay Aquaculture

What is one of the important skills taught in the Cod Academy program?

How to feed the fish and not overfeed them Signup and view all the answers

What is the name of the head of the Maine Aquaculture Association?

Sebastian Belle Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of the rubber tube that encloses each pen?

To keep out seabirds Signup and view all the answers

How many students are currently enrolled in the Cod Academy program?

Four Signup and view all the answers

What is the intended market for the cod raised in the fish farm?

Dinner tables around the world Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary concern of Bill Thompson Jr. regarding his children's future?

He doesn't want his children to get into a depleting source of livelihood, such as lobstering and urchining. Signup and view all the answers

What is the main idea behind the 'Cod Academy' program?

To retrain fishermen and teach them to become fish farmers, thereby promoting sustainable aquaculture. Signup and view all the answers

What is the requirement for students to graduate from the 'Cod Academy'?

Students need to develop a business plan and raise about half of the money needed for their farm. Signup and view all the answers

What is the concern of critics regarding aquaculture?

Crowding fish together in a farm can spread disease and produce unhealthy fish. Signup and view all the answers

What is the ultimate goal of Sebastian Belle regarding the 'Cod Academy' program?

To help people in Maine realize the huge promise that cod farming holds. Signup and view all the answers

What is the current occupation of Bill Thompson Jr.?

He is a working fisherman, diving for urchins and fishing for lobster. Signup and view all the answers

Why did Bill Thompson Sr. believe that replenishing wild stocks would not be enough?

He thought that even if wild stocks were replenished, they would not be enough to feed the world. Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of the 'Cod Academy' program being launched in America?

It is the first of its kind in America, based on successful programs in Japan and Norway. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Fish Farming in Maine

The Maine Aquaculture Association has launched the "Cod Academy", a program that trains fishermen to become fish farmers, aiming to help commercial fishers find a new way to carry out their trade.

The Cod Academy Program

The program is operated in partnership with the University of Maine and other organizations.
The program teaches students everything they need to know about operating a floating farm, including how to feed fish efficiently and not overfeed them.
Students take turns throwing special fish food into the pen and observe the feeding process with an underwater camera.

Cod Farming in Maine

The only commercial cod farm in Maine is operated by Great Bay Aquaculture, a partner in the Cod Academy.
Each pen in the farm can hold up to 50,000 cod, which will be served on dinner tables around the world.

Benefits of Fish Farming

Fish farming is seen as a wise choice for sustaining the world's food supply, as wild stocks may not be enough to feed the world.
Family-owned fish farms are a feasible business option.

Challenges and Risks

Becoming a fish-farmer involves financial risks, and students need to develop a business plan before graduating.
Students will be expected to raise about half of the money needed for any farm they want to create.
Critics argue that crowding fish together in a farm can spread disease and produce unhealthy fish, but Maine's fish farmers have learned from those mistakes and state inspectors ensure environmental rules are obeyed.

Cod Academy's Future

The first students of the Cod Academy graduated this month and are now permitted to seek financial aid from the Maine Aquaculture Association to start their own farms.
The academy is based on successful programs started in Japan and Norway over thirty years ago, and its organizer hopes it will help people in Maine realize the huge promise that cod farming holds.

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Description

A program in Maine trains fishermen to become fish farmers, helping them find a new way to carry out their trade. The 'Cod Academy' aims to assist commercial fishers in shifting their focus from ocean fishing to fish farming.