Damariscotta River – The Oyster Capital of Maine

Hosted by Lincoln Theater, in partnership with the Island Institute and Shuck Station. Talking Aquaculture in Maine is a free series of conversations with innovators who are making a substantial contribution to aquaculture here in the state of Maine.

Since the glaciers receded from Maine, oysters have had a place in the Damariscotta River. Its famous shell mounds are a testament to this long history and the connection to the river held by the Nanrantsouak of the N’dakina and larger Wabanaki populations. Join Damariscotta resident Sam Belknap of the Island Institute with a panel of three experts as we journey through the river’s environmental and cultural history. Learn more about the birth of oyster aquaculture in Maine and what the future holds for this iconic river, its oysters, and aquaculture. Learn about the history of the river and what makes it so special from Coastal River Conservation Trust’s Director of Education and Citizen Science, Sarah Gladu. Hear from Jeff “Smokey” McKeen, folklorist and co-founder of Pemaquid Oyster Company, about the birth of aquaculture in the river and the example it has set for the State of Maine. And hear from restauranteur, entrepreneur and oyster farmer, Brendan Parsons, about what drew him to the river and how his business highlights the region’s growers.

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