I finally took my first trip to Maine.

I know, it’s WILD that I’ve never been here before, considering it is the seafood mecca of the United States.

During my trip, I took a deep dive into Maine’s oyster farming industry and emerging forms of aquaculture, and got to meet with seafood stakeholders from the farmed and wild side who helped me really grasp the diversity and depth of Maine’s seafood industry (it’s more than just lobsters, people!).

I wanted to share more about my experience in Maine and provide resources for you to plan your own seafood-focussed trip to the state.

Maine Oyster Trail

I started my time in Maine by exploring the Maine Oyster Trail, an interactive guide that helps oyster lovers find oyster farm tours, raw bars, boat & kayak tours, and opportunities to buy oysters directly from farmers anywhere along the Maine coast.

The Maine Oyster Trail is a fantastic resource for anyone looking to plan an oyster-focussed trip in the state. The site has multiple guides and trip planners to help you find any type of oyster activity that you could ever dream of.

We first used the Oyster Trail to help us plan a kayak tour of an oyster farm in the Damariscotta River. Then we used it to plan an oyster and wine boat tour in Casco Bay, while trusting it to lead us to the best raw bars in the state.

Here’s a look at the adventures we went on to give you an idea of what the Maine Oyster Trail can do for you.

Midcoast Kayak Tour in the Damariscotta River

We kicked off our Maine oyster experience by diving right into the “Napa Valley of Oysters” - the Damariscotta River. 80% of Maine’s oysters are harvested in this river, which is technically an estuary since it's where freshwater and saltwater meet. This and the significant tidal flows that the river experiences are what help to grow the Damariscotta’s world class oysters.

We booked a 3-hour kayak tour with Midcoast Kayak that took us through the farms and some of the best scenery in this part of Maine.

Our kayak guide led us through the stunning river while giving us information about the farms in the river and the process of oyster farming.

And of course, once we got back on dry land, we had the chance to taste some of the Damariscotta River’s bounty for ourselves! The guides shucked dozens of oysters for us, giving us a chance to refresh and reward ourselves after our afternoon kayak.

To learn more about booking oyster kayak tours in Maine, check out the Maine oyster trail’s page with more information.

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Oyster and Wine Tasting in Casco Bay

Our next adventure led us further down the coast, to Casco Bay. Here, we met up with Madeleine Point Oysters for an oyster and wine boat tour.

As a wine lover and an oyster lover, this trip was totally on brand for me. But what made the experience memorable was our guide, Thomas, who also happened to be the Captain of the boat and the oyster farmer responsible for the delicious Madeleine Point oysters.

Thomas is also an avid oyster and wine lover, but more importantly, he’s a fantastic storyteller. As he steered us through the oyster cages in the calm bay, he shared stories of the farming conditions and his history on the water in Maine. And once the wine came out, Thomas enthralled us with detailed stories of why the specific wines (Chenin and Sancerre) were the perfect pairings for his oysters.

We spent hours talking, laughing, and learning while we shucked and sipped - honestly, it may be one of my favourite seafood experiences ever.

To book your own oyster and wine tour with Thomas, check out the link below.

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Maine as a leader in sustainable aquaculture development

Farmed seafood might not be what comes to the top of your mind when you think of Maine seafood (especially given the state’s modern reputation as a lobster destination). But Maine is leading the charge for America’s sustainable aquaculture development in many ways.

Of course, the state’s plethora of oyster and kelp farms are a big piece of this. But, Maine is also welcoming new and innovative aquaculture ventures like American Unagi. American Unagi is a farmed eel operation in Waldoboro, about an hour outside of Portland.

American Unagi Eel Farm

American Unagi is the first ever large-scale eel farm in the United States. Where the eel supply chain has been notoriously messy, plagued with illegal activity such as smuggling, American Unagi is looking to disrupt this space. They're sustainably farming eels and getting the high quality seafood to customers in a transparent way.

American Unagi works with wild fishermen to source its baby eels called elvers, since Maine is one of the few places in the world that has a sustainably managed eel fishery. After sourcing the babies from the fishermen, American Unagi sustainably grows the eels out to full size in a recirculating, land-based system.

And the end result is utterly fabulous.

A sustainable, traceable, delicious eel that has my mouth watering just thinking about it.

To learn more about American Unagi, check out their website here.

Diversity in Maine seafood

Whether it's farmed or wild caught, Maine seafood is something special. My time in Maine was capped off with a seafood picnic, where it seemed like all of Maine’s seafood industry showed up, with their best foot forward.

Farmers, fishermen, buyers, scientists, non-profit organizations, and seafood stakeholders from all around the state came together in Edgecomb, Maine to celebrate the diversity that the ocean provides Maine with.

Throughout the afternoon we enjoyed Maine lobsters, smoked eel from American Unagi, dozens and dozens of fresh oysters, stuffed clams, mussel pizza, crab salad, scallops, and so much more. (I am literally still dreaming about this scallop crudo from Downeast Dayboat.)

The only thing more impressive than the food was the community that brought it all together.

Maine IS seafood

Maine is seafood and its seafood tourism at its finest. Many of you know that a big part of what I do is globetrotting in to explore the growing world of “pescatourism” and I can’t say that I’ve seen anywhere that does seafood tourism better than Maine.

This state lives and breathes seafood and seafood experiences. Whether you’re looking to eat the freshest seafood possible, or you want to immerse yourself in a hands-on learning experience, Maine has something for every time of seafood lover or seafood curious traveller out there.

This may have been my first trip to Maine, but it certainly will not be my last.

Thank you to the Maine Aquaculture Association, American Unagi, and Downeast Dayboat Scallops for welcoming to Maine and making this experience so incredible.