Ecological Assessment of Hurricane Island

An extensive scientific assessment of Hurricane’s entire terrestrial environment includes documentation of the island’s flora and fauna, geology, soils, climate, topography and human history. Extensive maps show a comprehensive analysis of the entire island geography and opportunities for future scientific research.

PHD Dissertation, “Scallop Density Study”

Using Hurricane Island as a base and collaborating with other aquaculture farms and wild harvesters, Hurricane’s Director of Research will investigate ecological interactions and impacts of aquaculture on coastal marine organisms and ecosystems, with a focus on both wild and farmed scallop populations. This will be conducted in collaboration with Dr. Heather Leslie from the University of Maine and statewide industry and community members.

Hurricane Sound Scallop Tagging Study

Summer 2020: Hurricane initiated a scallop tagging study to understand sea scallop (Placopecten magellanicus) growth and movement in the Lower Penobscot Bay rotational management area. In Spring 2019, Hurricane received Maine Sea Grant Program Development funds to conduct a  scallop tagging study in collaboration with Maine Department of Marine Resources, the Town of Vinalhaven and local fisherman. This tag-recapture study will improve area-specific growth rate models to inform and assess rotational management strategies and to specifically address DMR research priorities. This study will provide spatially explicit growth information, help identify areas for closures and enhancement and shine light on the scale of movement, the potential for exchange of scallops between management areas, and potential size ranges at which scallops are less likely to disperse away from an enhanced area.