University of Maine Foundation

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Supporting Maine's lobster industry

For the past two decades, Bob Bayer has been involved in lobster research as a University of Maine professor. For the last seven years, he also has served as executive director of UMaine's Lobster Institute.

The cooperative program between Maine's lobster industry and the University was established to help conserve and enhance the resource. Their common goal: a sustainable, thriving fishery and related businesses. Key to the success of the Lobster Institute is its industry-driven agenda of research, educational outreach and technical support. Serving on the institute's board of advisors are men and women who are active in lobstering and the industry from Long Island Sound to the Maritimes.

Much of the funding for the Lobster Institute comes from the lobster industry and private monies in three funds managed by the University of Maine Foundation. The group Friends of the Lobster Institute has established a Director's Fund to cover operating expenses. The Kenneth A. Brown Fund, established in memory of a lifelong lobsterman from Edgecomb, and an endowed Lobster Institute Fund are for institute research.

Much of that research focuses on maintaining a healthy lobster population. Other recent work involves development of value-added products.

In addition, the institute has launched an oral history project to record the stories and wisdom of some of Maine's most veteran lobstermen and their families. And for landlubbers, the Lobster Institute offers on its Web site (www.lobsterinstitute.org) a video of a working lobster boat off the coast near Bunkers Harbor, Maine.