How You Can Support DEI
How you can support sustainable fisheries in Eastern Maine and beyond
Healthy, sustainable fisheries are the lifeblood of the downeast Maine economy. DEI has been working for the past 24 years with clammers, lobster fishers, scallopers, and others to enhance stocks through public aquaculture, to conduct applied research to better understand the important biological, ecological, and physical mechanisms that result in healthy fisheries, and to share our knowledge with fishers, fisheries managers, and with K-12 teachers and their students.
Seeding cultured clams under protective netting in Wiscasset, Maine
We are always looking to create new economic and educational opportunities for the people of downeast and coastal Maine. One way we are working to do this is to build the infrastructure at our Black Duck Cove campus that will allow fishers, scientists, and students of all ages to work together on projects of mutual interest. At present, our infrastructure includes a 6,400-square foot shellfish hatchery, 1,000-square foot marine education center, two tidal impoundments (approximately 2 acres each) and will soon include a working pier (30-ft x 100-ft).
DEI's Board of Directors is planning for an infrastructure construction project that will cost approximately $3.25 million. The new project will complete the goal to become the easternmost marine research laboratory and education center in the US. The planning phase has involved DEI board members as well as marine scientists from colleges and universities throughout Maine.
Once complete, the new facility will include six new office spaces, a clean laboratory for microscope work, sample-processing, organism identification, and other uses, a quarantine lab for holding invasive and other exotic species, a running seawater laboratory for holding live organisms, conducting laboratory experiments, or culturing marine plants and animals, and three walk-in coolers for investigators to conduct climate change experiments. All labs will have running and filtered seawater. In addition, a reception area with touch tank containing local species and a small conference room for up to 35 people will complete the project.
In August 2008, DEI received a $1.009 million grant from Maine’s Technology Asset Fund (MTAF). The MTAF grant has enabled us to: 1) make improvements to our peir and tidal impoundments; 2) purchase additional equipment to culture soft-shell clams, sea urchins, sea scallops and lobsters for enhancement and applied research projects; and, 3) plan for our vision of the easternmost marine research laboratory and education center in the United States.
We want to share our excitement and expertise with those who have similar passions about learning and doing new things. We have created a state-of-the-art education center on our 8-acre campus so that now we can offer summer courses to local youth, elderhostelers, college students, in-service teachers, and others interested in learning about the marine environment. Our physical location and array of cold-water marine habitats is unique in the state of Maine.
With the completion of the marine research laboratory, we will be able to invite marine scientists and their students to Black Duck Cove and Great Wass Island to explore, study, and conduct research in these habitats and on our local organisms.
Your support will help us create the classroom and laboratory facilities to promote the diversity and scope of educational and research opportunities in this region.
Please help us improve the quality of life for people of downeast and coastal Maine. We greatly appreciate your gift at any level.
The phased infrastructure construction at the Downeast Institute. Top
schematic shows current shellfish production facility and marine
education center. Middle schematic shows the marine laboratory
and office space without reception center and conference room.
Bottom schematic shows the complete project. Architectural
drawings provided by Sealander Architects (Ellsworth, Maine)