Cultivating Talent: Aquaculture Apprentices with Bombazine Oysters

Maine is nationally known for its leadership in the aquaculture industry, with local businesses growing fast to meet the rising demand for farmed kelp and shellfish. However, many small farms can only scale up so quickly without reliable labor, and bottlenecks in workforce development have stunted the number of qualified workers in the field.

To meet this growing workforce demand, Maine launched the first apprenticeship program of its kind in the country: the Maine Shellfish and Seaweed Aquaculture Apprenticeship. Administered by the Maine Aquaculture Association, the Gulf of Maine Research Institute, FocusMaine, the Maine Department of Labor, and Educate Maine, with support from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, the program offers a pathway to full-time, year-round employment in aquaculture.

Participants complete a 2,000-hour paid apprenticeship, earning an accredited aquaculture certification and the potential to continue working full-time at their host farms. Coursework through Southern Maine Community College complements hands-on training, covering everything from tying knots and operating boats to regulatory compliance and shellfish biology.

In 2022, Bombazine Oyster Company (then Ferda Farms) became a host farm. “It seemed like a good program, because you get someone who is really committed,” said Max Burtis, co-owner of Bombazine. “There’s a significant skillset you need to be successful to farm oysters, and it's difficult to take the leap of faith to train someone.”

Two apprentices, Matt Czurcha and Kelly Morgan, joined Bombazine after completing the program's boot camp. The impact they had on the farm was monumental. “They really helped shape and build the farm. I couldn’t have done it without them,” said Burtis. Czurcha and Morgan’s help allowed Max to step back from the day-to-day operations of the farm to apply for grants and build up the infrastructure of the business.

The timing couldn’t have been better. Bombazine had just received a 20-year standard lease from the Maine Department of Marine Resources, allowing the farm to expand to 2.4 acres and take full advantage of the apprentices’ contributions.

“These aren’t average seasonal farmhands; these apprentices really understand how farms work,” added Burtis. “And a lot of farm owners like me can get bogged down in the day-to-day operations. With the two apprentices we had, we were able to grow the business together.”

For Burtis, these apprenticeships are about more than training workers; it’s about cultivating a future where Maine’s coastal communities can thrive through steady, sustainable waterfront work.