Downeast Institute to open expanded facility

Downeast Institute (DEI) provided the media a preview of its expanded shellfish hatchery, marine laboratories and new residence hall on June 26, in an event that featured demonstrations and guided tours of the facility, showcasing the $6.6 million project, which started in 2017 and is scheduled to open August 11. The facility is located on Great Wass Island in the Town of Beals and is the easternmost institute for applied marine research and education in the United States.
"It will be a mad dash to the finish line, but we should be good to go by the scheduled date," joked DEI Executive Director Dianne Tilton. Tilton has overseen much since becoming executive director of DEI in 2015. This latest expansion effort is considered the final phase of a two‑phase project, with boat sheds and a storage building being added at some point in the future. In 2010 phase one was completed with DEI's education center, which contains a learning laboratory and classroom with running seawater.
For research scientists Dr. Brian Beal and Dr. Phil Yund, the day was an opportunity to talk about the progress being made on their own marine research projects, the impact the recent DEI expansion will bring to them as individual scientists and also the impact it will have on the area when it comes to aquaculture and fisheries industry.
The research being conducted at the facility includes the spawning of mussels and oyster larvae for a cryopreservation project and further development of razor and arctic clam cultivation experiments. "We are the only place working with razor clams and arctic surf clams," notes Beal. "In a few days we are going to do something no one has done before. We will be placing these animals [razor and arctic surf clams] on a mud flat to see if they grow and to see if they stay where we put them."
Another piece of research Beal shared was on the impact water flow has on the growth rate of soft-shell clams, a resource extremely important to the Downeast economy. Research on soft-shell clams is how DEI started, and the new facility showcases that research along with a host of other species development, research and expanded community interaction by way of education and business ventures.
Up above it all is the mezzanine, which houses the Stock Algal Culture Room. Beal considers this area the "heartbeat" in terms of shellfish production at DEI. "If we do not have success in this room we do not have success in any other area of the facility," says Beal. In large glass vials, 13 species of algae are nurtured and grown as food for the animals. "The design of the second floor was done entirely by those who work in this area, and it uses gravity to move the cultured food down to the holding tanks," notes Beal.
The marine research education center will serve as the public entrance to the new facility. A major feature in its lobby will be a 400‑gallon touch tank. The area also has a kitchen and a multipurpose conference room, which will have some local flair adorning its walls. Artist Robert Beck has agreed to donate 12 of his paintings to DEI. Beck -- who is from Pennsylvania -- is known for his plein air and studio images of people and their occupations. He has spent the last few years painting scenes of people and life in Jonesport and Beals Island.
For DEI Senior Scientist Dr. Phil Yund, the beginning of a lot of exciting times is just around the corner once the facility is finally completed. "You can really view this facility as having three main areas: the large wet lab area is focused on aquaculture and sea production, specifically research on aquaculture techniques; the education center is our public outreach component; then there is the research lab area, which will contain freezers, clean rooms and incubator rooms for molecular and genetic work," says Yund. The space will also act as a business incubator site for newly established companies to rent and use as they develop and grow, providing an additional income stream for DEI.
When it is all finished, the new facility will add 8,400 square feet of research space, and the new residence hall, at 4,500 square feet, will accommodate approximately 20 students. As far as impact to job development, Beal says DEI has added three new jobs because of the expansion, and he believes further job creation will continue as field studies expand and the community and other businesses take advantage of what the new facility has to offer.
"It's taken us 18 years to get here," says Beal. "It all started with soft-shell clams and then migrated and expanded with the additional space throughout the years. We also realized what comes with the new space was a 'not only can we do this, but we can do that' sort of attitude, and today is a direct result of that attitude. We are growing American and European oysters, soft-shell clams, razor clams, arctic surf clams and blue mussels. A lot has changed, and we continue to stay ahead of it all."