Maine’s commercial fishermen learn how aquaculture can become a new way to make a living on the coast while at the same time preserve Maine’s working waterfronts. This is the subject of The Cod Academy, a documentary that will be airing on the Maine Public Broadcasting Network’s Community Film Series on May 3rd, 5th and 14th.
Featuring four Maine fishermen, The Cod Academy explores the viability and opportunity of cod farming off the coast of Maine. Due to the collapse of the wild cod fishery and the continuing economic struggles with preserving Maine’s working waterfronts, aquaculture may be one way for commercial fishing families to continue their maritime heritage.
In 2010, the Maine Aquaculture Association received federal funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to launch a pilot program on cod farming for the commercial fishermen of Maine. Over a period of five months, Fieldstone Media documented the program and produced a compelling story that details what it would take for fishermen to start their own cod farms.
Kyle Hockmeyer, owner of Fieldstone Media comments, “It’s always fascinating to travel to different regions of Maine, record the various ways people make a living, and understand the issues that they face everyday. This documentary shows the changes that are happening with fishing and how a new industry could begin to influence the communities along the Maine coast. Hockmeyer has directed other Maine-based documentaries including Can-Am Crown and NorthRunner.
The Cod Academy will be airing on television during MPBN’ s Community Film Series on Thursday, May 3 at 10:00 p.m., Saturday, May 5 at 11:00 a.m., and Monday, May 14 at 12:30 a.m.