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Hugh Cowperthwaite is the Senior Program Director, Fisheries and Aquaculture at Coastal Enterprises, Inc. Hugh is a member of the Maine Technology Institute’s Aquaculture and Marine Technology Board, the Maine Fishermen’s Forum Board, the Maine Sea Grant Policy Advisory Committee, Maine-Aomori Sister State Advisory Council and NOAA’s Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee.

As CEI’s Senior Program Director, Fisheries and Aquaculture, Hugh is responsible coordinating lending, business counseling and technical assistance with commercial fishermen, aquaculturists and waterfront businesses that maintain commercial marine access. As a partner in the “Aquaculture in Shared Waters” training program, CEI brings to the table a “Sea Farm Loan” product offering specialized financing for Maine’s marine aquaculturists. CEI offers free business counseling services and Hugh is also a good “technical assistance” resource. Since 2010 Hugh has been leading ongoing efforts to introduce commercial sea scallop and kelp farming to Maine growers based on Japanese and South Korean culture methods.

Hugh is a Maine native and has a background in commercial fisheries (lobstering) that began in high school. Other work experiences prior to CEI include: sea urchin diving, tending boat moorings, raising oysters, GIS work, and several marine environmental consulting projects coastwide. Hugh also plays the bass guitar as a side hustle.

Education

• University of Southern Maine, Portland, Maine; Graduated May 1997 Cum Laude
  • B.A. in Environmental Science and Policy-Applied Ecology, Minor Concentration in Biology
• Musicians Institute – College of Contemporary Music (MI), Hollywood, California
• Certificate of completion from the Bass Institute of Technology (BIT)
• Certificate in Advanced Project Management, Effective Project Management & Implementing Project Management, University of Southern Maine, Portland, Maine (USM)
• Sustainable Food Systems Leadership Institute, Maine Association of Non-Profits (MANP)

Community Connections

Hugh has participated and led several Tech Transfer trips both in Maine and overseas to help introduce new ideas to Maine’s aquaculture industry. Trips to northern Japan focused on scallop aquaculture and the kelp industry have been in association with the Maine-Aomori Sister State Advisory Council and the Friends of Aomori. A trip to South Korea focused on kelp was affiliated with the World Wildlife Fund.