Rockport — The 37th annual Maine Fishermen’s Forum is fast approaching, and the exhibitors and attendees are gearing up for the March 1-3 event held every year at the Samoset Resort in Rockport. This year, Dr. Jane Lubchenco, Under Secretary of Commerce will be attending the forum, along with Gov. Paul LePage. A special seminar on Changes in NOAA Fisheries Leadership will be offered for attendees.
Seminars are offered daily, free to the public and cover a variety of subjects. On Thursday, the Maine Clammers Association sponsors a Summit of Maine Municipal Shellfish Programs. There will also be a seminar on Using Reverse Engineering to Understand Whale Entanglements, and a special presentation covering the Opportunities for Sea Urchin Fishery in Maine. Friday’s seminars cover topics from the Seaweed Fishery to the Maine Permit Bank, an analysis of the Lobster Limited Entry System and the Gulf of Maine Council’s EcoSystem Indicator Partnership. Saturday’s highlights include TAA workshops, Northern Shrimp Management and Offshore Wind Energy, and the Bait Update for 2012.
The Forum Trade Show offers exhibitors from across the U.S. and Canada. Their specialties range from lobster traps to marine supplies, commercial scales, hydraulic gear, lobster bait, marine safety education, marine engines, boatbuilders, and so much more. The trade show will be open to the public from 3 to 5 p.m. on Thursday, March 1, and from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 2-3.
Read the complete event details from Village Soup.