Finding a Future on Maine’s Working Waterfront

At 23 years old, Michael Scannell has already gone from commercial lobstering to managing an oyster farm, launching his own scallop operation, speaking in Washington DC about workforce development, and traveling to Japan to study scallop aquaculture. In this episode of Salty Talks, Michael shares how apprenticeship programs introduced him to aquaculture, why exposure and access matter for rural students, and what the future of scallop farming in Maine could look like. From working waterfronts to bottom-grown scallops and offshore aquaculture, this conversation explores how a new generation is trying to build a future on the water in Maine.