About the Working Group

 
 

Founders and Facilitators

The Casco Bay Regional Shellfish Working Group was founded by Tidal Bay Consulting (TBC) and Manomet Conservation Sciences.

Jessica Gribbon Joyce (TBC), Emily Farr, and Marissa McMahan, PhD (Manomet) are co-facilitators. They co-chair the Steering Committee, plan and facilitate Working Group meetings, manage projects suggested by members, and develop communication materials. Dr. McMahan and Jessie Batchelder (Manomet) also provide research support.

 

Members

There are 14 municipalities in the Casco Bay ‘region’ that are invited to participate as members in the Working Group. Other stakeholders, interested parties, and members of the public are also welcome to join our meetings and access our resources. The following municipalities in this region have shellfish management programs:

  • Arrowsic

  • Biddeford

  • Brunswick

  • Chebeague Island

  • Cumberland

  • Falmouth

  • Freeport

  • Georgetown

  • Harpswell

  • Phippsburg

  • Scarborough

  • West Bath

  • Woolwich

  • Yarmouth

 
 
 

Collaborators

The facilitators of the Working Group work closely with other nonprofits and researchers in the region to share information and resources. These partners include the Casco Bay Estuary Partnership, the Maine Shellfish Learning Network, which is affiliated with University of Maine, and the Greater Portland Council of Governments. We also coordinate with the Maine Department of Marine Resources.

 

Funder and Fiscal Sponsor

The Working Group is currently funded by the Casco Bay Estuary Partnership. Our partners and member communities also provide in-kind services to support the Working Group. The Broad Reach Fund of the Maine Community Foundation supported the Working Group from 2019-2024.

The Working Group is a program hosted by Manomet Conservation Sciences. In the past, Momentum Conservation was the fiscal sponsor for this initiative.

 
BroadReachFundlogo.png
 
 
 
 
Photo credit: qi bin on Unsplash

Photo credit: qi bin on Unsplash

 

Steering Committee

The Working Group has a Steering Committee that advises the direction and initiatives of the WG. It brings together diverse members of the shellfish community:

  • Paul Plummer - Marine Resource Administrator and Harbormaster, Harpswell

  • Nathan Orff - Commercial harvester, lobsterman, and former Chair of the Scarborough Shellfish Conservation Committee

  • Kevin Oliver - Commercial harvester, and former Chair of Yarmouth/North Yarmouth Shellfish Committee

  • Christopher Warner - Commercial harvester (Georgetown), and owner of High Tide Shellfish (West Bath)

  • Ray Trombley- Owner of Casco Bay Shellfish, Brunswick

Former Steering Committee members include: Bob Earnest - Chair of Chebeague Island Shellfish Committee and Co-owner of Chebeague Island Oysters; and Terry Watson, Commercial harvester, oyster farmer, and owner, Clam Hunter Seafood, Phippsburg