Father-and-son fishermen Marsden and Bob Brewer have deployed a Japanese technique for farming Atlantic sea scallops, using lantern nets — the first of its kind in Penobscot Bay.
Island Advantages reported the nets are 10 floors deep, hang from a 600-foot longline, and can grow up to 200,000 scallops. Bob Brewer told the paper the two deployed two nets in June and expect to have scallops ready for market in late December.Â
Maine fishermen first began experimenting with farming scallops about five years ago. Farmers are also experiment with another Japanese technique, call ear-hanging.
The Brewers, who are founding members of the Maine Aquaculture Co-op, plan to expand their scallop farm.
The new Maine Aquaculture Co-op, at Millers’ Wharf in Tenants Harbor — Maine’s first scallop farming cooperative — received grant funds earlier this year for development of an ear-hung scallop aquaculture infrastructure and the purchase of lantern nets, a scallop grader and start wheel.
Marsden Brewer is president of the co-op, his son Bob is vice president, Peter Miller is treasurer and Merritt T. Carey is secretary.Â