4-H programs bring aquaculture to life for students in Maine

WRITTEN BY CRYSTAL SANDS

Aquaculture is big business in Maine, but it’s not just the grownups who are interested in it. Through the University of Maine Cooperative Extension, 4-H students get to learn about and experience aquaculture first-hand in award-winning programs.

Carla Scocchi is a 4-H Development Professional for the University of Maine Cooperative Extension 4-H in Hancock County, and she works with a team that brings aquaculture to life for students across the state of Maine. The University of Maine Cooperative Extension 4-H offers a variety of aquaculture programs to students, and Scocchi says the programs are growing in popularity.

According to Scocchi, the 4-H programs include courses in hands-on aquaponics projects, aquaculture ambassador programs for teens, and a new youth aquaculture credentialing program. Additionally, the Cooperative Extension offers virtual field trips and touch tanks.

It was the original aquaponics project for kids that really kicked things off though, says Scocchi. The aquaponics project, which provides students with opportunities to set up their own tanks and systems and grow food, began in 2018 but really grew into a unique at-home program where students set up their own systems in 2020 during the pandemic. It was this project that won a national award — The Denise Miller National 4-H Innovator Award from the National Association of Extension 4-H Youth Development Professionals.

Many kids come to the program because they are interested in fish or aquariums, and their interest in aquaculture grows from there. Scocchi says that many of their students are surprised to learn that there are many important career opportunities in aquaculture, so it’s great to connect these kids to a field they find so interesting.

It’s also important to educate kids about a sustainable field, but, of course, there is a consumer education piece as well. Kids learn about where their seafood comes from and what that food system looks like.

“Where aquaculture stands within our larger food system is important for any consumer to be aware of,” Scocchi said, adding that’s really the most important thing they do.

Aquaculture is one of the fastest growing industries in Maine, and interest in the different aquaculture programs through the UMaine Cooperative Extension is growing as well.

“Interest in our programs grows every year, and we often have a wait list,” Scocchi said. More than 600 Maine kids were involved last year, and there were just over 400 involved the year before.

Thirteen-year-old Wyatt Beauchamp is one of the Maine students involved in the University of Maine’s Cooperative Extension’s 4-H aquaculture programs. In fact, he is one of the teen ambassadors for aquaculture. In his role as Aquaculture Ambassador, Beauchamp helps with interactive touch tank experiences, like the one offered every year at the Blue Hill Fair. He also helps guide younger children through building models of aquaponic systems.

“I love aquaculture and aquaponics, so it’s really fun for me to teach other people about it,” Beauchamp said. “I hope other kids will see how much fun aquaculture can be.”

Beauchamp’s interest in aquaculture grew from an interest in fish and aquariums that he says started when he was just 5 years old. He loved learning about different fish and different habitats, and he was soon invited to join the aquaponics course through the University of Maine’s Cooperative Extension 4-H programs. This led to an even greater interest in the field.

If your child has a love for aquariums or if they are just interested in learning about an important aspect of agriculture in our state, there are many opportunities available for them to explore their interests. For more information, Carla Scocchi recommends visiting the University of Maine Cooperative Extension website at extension.umaine.edu/hancock/aquaculture.