Downeast Institute

08/18/2026

Our interns are wrapping up their summers at Downeast Institute! Riley, Izzy, and Regina helped with our education program, various research projects in the lab and field, and public events. We are so grateful for all of their hard work this summer!

08/13/2026

We've got lots of big oyster seed available. Email [email protected] if you'd like to fill your oyster bags with some of our high quality downeast seed.

08/10/2026

It was feeding time in the stage IV lobster playground today! You can see each lobster in this photo carrying and eating a small food pellet. Come take a tour and see them in person!

08/08/2026

Join us on this classic, foggy Maine day from 10-2!

08/06/2026

Many thanks to The Fishermen’s Pottery & Gifts for donating this year's door prize for our Shellfish Field day this Saturday! Stop by and put your name in for this free drawing.

07/31/2026

These are Razor clams, waving their feet hello! Take a look at their gills, the structure that looks like a ribcage. These animals are being grown to support a Northeast SARE grant to diversify Maine's aquaculture industry.

07/29/2026

07/28/2026

Welcome to the Lobster Playground!
Here is where we keep our stage four lobsters, with tubes and hoses that mimic their natural surroundings, providing them with plenty of places to hide and a steady current.

07/27/2026

We were so proud to host our first ever residential college class at Downeast Institute this summer. Oceanography on the Ocean was taught through the University of Maine at Machias by Dr. Kharis Schrage. The students had an absolute blast!

07/24/2026

Would you believe us if we said there’s 6 million mussel pediveligers in this 1 pouch? Well there is! They were shipped overnight to farmer who is using them to seed their mussel ropes.