Learning the Ropes: Inside Maine's First Aquaculture Boot Camp

In this episode, we head to the Darling Marine Center on the coast of Maine to experience the first-ever Aquaculture Boot Camp—an intensive training program designed to equip the next generation of aquaculture farmers and professionals with hands-on maritime skills.

Offered by the Maine Aquaculture Hub in partnership with aquaculture in shared waters, and funded in part by congressional support through Senators King and Collins, this week-long boot camp immerses students in critical aquaculture skills—handling boats, navigation, knot-tying, mooring design, oyster farming, kelp cultivation, and boat trailering.

Hear directly from instructors and students about why hands-on training is crucial for Maine’s working waterfront and how building practical skills translates into confidence, safety, and future success in aquaculture.

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About the Podcast

Salty talks: Conversations on Sustainable Aquaculture in Maine

Learn about all things aquaculture in Maine!

Salty Talks, hosted by Corinne Noufi, the Communications Specialist at the Aquaculture Research Institute is your go-to podcast for a deep dive into all things aquaculture! This show seeks to disseminate information about the culture of various species, provide updates on research, innovation, and education, and highlight the multidisciplinary aspects of aquaculture. Each episode features interviews/discussions with researchers, industry, and other professional voices from the Maine aquaculture world.

About your host

Corinne Noufi

Corinne is the Aquaculture Communications Specialist with ARI. She engages in work by writing, producing, and distributing written material, graphics, videos, and other media products to enhance education and bring attention to the world-class research being conducted at the ARI.

She graduated from Seattle University in 2017 with a bachelor of science in biology where she examined fish food web ecology in Cambodia, sparking her interest in fisheries and how human and environmental health can be supported by aquaculture. Post graduation Corinne worked for the Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust, an environmental non-profit in Washington State doing regional ecological restoration work.

She then went on to obtain her master’s degree from the School of Marine and Environmental Affairs at the University of Washington, allowing her to dig deeper into comparative aquaculture and food production systems. She also completed a capstone around marine spatial planning for kelp and shellfish aquaculture site selection in Puget Sound. Post graduate school Corinne completed a Science Communication fellowship followed by a one-year Hershman Fellowship through the University and Washington Sea Grant working on numerous projects including an Equity Guidebook about incorporating environmental justice into ecosystem monitoring.

Originally hailing from Golden, Colorado, she enjoys spending time doing outdoor activities such as skiing, hiking, mountain biking, and trail running.