FARMED ATLANTIC SALMON: GOOD FOR YOU AND GOOD FOR MAINE

Atlantic salmon farming has grown and developed on the East Coast of Maine since the early 1980s and its success could not have happened at a better time for our Maine working waterfronts.

“There were sardine factories here and there were five or six sardine carriers and now there’s none,” said Dean Pike, owner of Moose Island Marine in Eastport. “As fate had it, the waning of the sardine industry actually coincided with the growth of the salmon industry. It’s been good for us and good for the whole city.”

Cooke Aquaculture has fully-integrated salmon aquaculture operations in Maine – meaning they are involved in the entire process of growing Atlantic salmon from the egg to the plate.

The company operates freshwater hatcheries in Gardner Lake, Bingham and Oquossoc. The teams at those fa-

Mark Trynor has been working with Cooke for about 15 years. He’s worked as a technician on the farm sites and he’s now working as a mate on the company’s larger vessels.

“It takes a lot of people to grow salmon,” he said, adding that the support of local businesses, like Moose Island Marine and others, is critical.

“We have the local business that help us with things like electrical service or mechanics that specialize in the motors that we run in our barges and there’s the parts stores that supply us what we need.”

As someone who works closely with salmon farmers, Pike said he sees the commitment and the benefits the industry brings to the community.

“There’s somebody from Cooke in here almost every day. For us at Moose Island Marine, it’s a big part of what we do,” he said.

Courtesy Of Cooke Aquaculture

READY TO GROW YOUR CAREER?

CURRENT OPPORTUNITIES INCLUDE:

• CAPTAIN – LARGE VESSEL – EASTPORT

• ENGINE ROOM TECHNICIAN – LARGE VESSEL – EASTPORT cilities will spawn the mature fish, hatch the eggs and raise the juvenile salmon in freshwater until they are ready to swim in the ocean.

It’s a process that mimics the lifecycle of the wild Atlantic salmon. In nature, Atlantic salmon spawn in freshwater rivers and streams where the eggs will hatch and juveniles will grow. When they grow into the smolt stage of their lifecycle, salmon are ready to swim out to sea to feed and grow before returning to their home rivers to spawn.

In the farm environment, the smolts are transported from the hatchery to marine farm sites off the shores of places like Eastport, Machiasport, Black Island and Swan’s Island.

On the ocean farms, the Cooke team cares for and grows those fish from smolts that weigh around 150 grams (five ounces) until they are ready for market at about 12 pounds. That care includes daily feeding, regular check-ups from fish health veterinarians, weekly dives to monitor the fish and the cage and net system and regular cleaning of the nets with remote controlled robotic cleaners.

Once the farming teams have grown the fish to market size, crews harvest the fish for processing at a facility in Machiasport. The entire process takes about three years –and a lot of care and expertise.

The fresh salmon is then delivered to customers locally and nation-wide. It’s sold as whole fish, fillets, steaks, portions, skewers and flavored products. It can also be made into hot or cold smoked salmon, candied salmon or salmon burgers.

Trynor said it’s a good feeling to be part of a company that delivers quality food while also making an impact on local communities. “It makes me proud to know that I get to contribute healthy food to our local community, our local people, and also all around the nation.”

He’s also happy that the salmon farming industry has helped people like him continue to live and work in Downeast Maine.

“It’s wonderful knowing that you can have a job like this, make good money and be able to support and raise a family in this town that’s quiet and peaceful,” he said.

• DECKHAND – LARGE VESSEL –EASTPORT

• MATE – LARGE VESSEL – EASTPORT

• CHIEF ENGINEER – LARGE VESSEL –EASTPORT

• FISH PROCESSING TECHNICIAN –MACHIASPORT

• MAINTENANCE MECHANIC TECHNICIAN – MACHIASPORT

• MAINTENANCE VESSEL DECKHAND –MACHIASPORT

• HATCHERY TECHNICIAN - OQUOSSOC

• HATCHERY TECHNICIAN – BINGHAM

• SALTWATER MARINE TECHNICIAN –BLACK ISLAND & MACHIASPORT