BANGOR DAILY NEWS • February 4, 2022
A small-scale test indicates that scallops can grow well in old Down East lobster pounds, possibly opening new economic opportunities for the region. A preliminary experiment by the Downeast Institute found scallops in vacant lobster pounds grow faster and have a higher survival rate when compared with those farmed in the ocean. It’s too early to go all in on the idea, researchers said, but if further tests show similar results, scallop farming in dormant pounds across Hancock and Washington counties could provide people who make a living off the water a way to diversify as it becomes harder and more expensive to lobster.