As a marine extension associate for Maine Sea Grant, Annie supports the planning, development and implementation of the Maine Aquaculture Hub, a collaborative network that strives to situate aquaculture as a diversifying and strengthening industry for coastal economies. In addition, in her general work as an extension associate, Annie works alongside sea farmers, municipalities, regulators, researchers, teachers, students and others interested in aquaculture. Annie's background is in outdoor education, applied research, and shellfish husbandry. She is a US Coast Guard licensed captain and is based at UMaine's marine campus, the Darling Marine Center, in Walpole, Maine, USA.
What inspired you to become involved in aquaculture?
When I first learned about aquaculture in my mid-twenties, I was surprised I had never heard of it before! I grew up on the coast in Maine but hadn't realized how much aquaculture was happening in my own backyard. Aquaculture combines my love of marine science, research, and sustainable food systems. This field is full of opportunity, and the people I get to work with and support are incredibly passionate, bright, innovative and thoughtful. I feel fortunate to have gotten involved when I did and the work feels impactful and meaningful.
Briefly describe your aquaculture career.
I spent years working in outdoor education and research, working on boats often and obtaining my captain’s license through the US Coast Guard. When my partner and I returned to Maine to live there full-time, the first job I could find was shucking oysters at a raw bar. I realized how special the oyster farming industry in Maine was by working with the product and teaching customers about what they were eating and how it was grown. My partner (also a mariner and educator) and I took a free course designed to help folks start aquaculture ventures in Maine. When COVID scuttled our plans to start a business, I decided to work for someone else’s instead. I landed a role in research and development on an established oyster farm and gained skills in shellfish and microalgal husbandry as well as applied research. Eventually, I was ready for a more challenging role and I accepted a position with Maine Sea Grant as an extension associate, focused on aquaculture. Now I work with researchers, teachers, students, farm owners and employees, municipalities and others in order to identify and solve pressing problems in aquaculture. In this role, I also get to lead and support aquaculture research, education, engagement and outreach efforts across the state.
Which individuals or organisations in aquaculture have you found particularly inspirational?
I have so many role models to look up to! A few that come to mind are Annie Langston-Noll and Chris Davis at the Maine Aquaculture Innovation Center, Imani Black of Minorities in Aquaculture, Women of Water, Seafood and Gender Equality, and all the innovative and hardworking Maine-based farmers who I feel fortunate to support. My colleague Jaclyn Robidoux of Maine Sea Grant has been another important mentor as I learn the ins and outs of aquaculture extension work.
How important has networking been to your career?
Very! Maine is a small place, and when I look back, every job I held before this one was laying some groundwork and connections that helped both prepare me for the role I have now as well as build trust and relationships with the people that I now collaborate with and serve. I know I wouldn’t be where I am without my networks, and that’s why I’m really passionate about saying “yes” to opportunities to mentor others. In this work I regularly interact with young people who are interested in getting involved in aquaculture or are looking to make a pivot in their careers. I love this type of engagement and consider it a privilege to pay it forward by empowering others to make career and life choices that feel right!
During your career, have you noticed inequalities in the sector, be it in policies or culture? If yes, what actions do you think would best address those issues?
Absolutely. Our research (and existing literature) indicates that more work is needed to address challenges that farmers and employees face such as gender-based harassment, discrimination, and reduced access to technical skill-building opportunities. For folks who don’t have a maritime or working waterfront background and who come to aquaculture without that experience, it can feel like an uphill battle. And many from underrepresented groups experience difficulty in finding their place, or a sense of inclusion and belonging, within, what in Maine, is a primarily male-dominated, white, able-bodied industry. Developing trainings, apprenticeships, internships, and other learning opportunities with equity in mind, and reducing barriers to access for all, can really help us broaden the scope of who contributes and will create more opportunity and success for the sector at large. In addition, supporting companies that want to provide a more inclusive and safe work environment will go a long way in improving retention and workplace culture. Finally, we can only improve what we can measure. There is a huge need for more comprehensive and thorough data sets in order to establish baseline understandings of who’s participating in aquaculture, how, and why.
What is your proudest aquaculture-related achievement to date?
This winter, my colleagues and I piloted a training program for Maine-based women and nonbinary aquaculturists. We used a formal needs assessment to help us build the curriculum, partnered with women instructors, and did our very best to foster a safe learning environment that would also serve as a community of support for our students moving forward. Although we certainly experienced challenges along the way, this project has been incredibly rewarding both personally and professionally. The feedback we get from our students reassures me that these types of learning opportunities are both needed and critical when it comes to increasing representation in the sector and equipping aquaculturists with the skills they need to be successful over the long haul. While this workshop series is just one part of what’s needed to increase diversity, equity and inclusion in the sector, we hope our work can serve as a model and resource for other programs and we look forward to evolving this programming into the future.
What advice would you give to someone (man or woman) looking to start a career in the aquaculture sector, or progress their existing career?
Be prepared to work hard! Aquaculture looks glamorous but it doesn’t come easy; you’ll need to show up again and again and get comfortable with making mistakes. In addition, it’s important to remember that aquaculture can take many forms and every successful operation requires a wide variety of skillsets – farm husbandry, finances, marketing, sales, research, engineering, and more. Don’t be afraid to try new things and experiment with different types of roles as you find the place that’s right for you.
What do you think will be the key drivers/areas for innovation for Scottish aquaculture in the next decade?
As a foreigner to Scottish aquaculture it’s hard for me to say, but I am inspired by my over-the-seas colleagues at SAIC who are focused on supporting underrepresented groups in aquaculture and ultimately creating a stronger, more innovative sector for all!
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