A second, outdoor aquaculture laboratory is the mussel raft in nearby Johnson's Bay which students and their teachers have converted from the discarded parts of a salmon pen. All year, often transported back and forth by local fishermen, the students tend and maintain their raft. They started off by collecting juvenile mussels from the underwater footings of the town dock, grading and seeding them for cultivation. As the mussels mature, the students try out various mussel cultivation techniques, tinkering with mechanical equipment for sorting and processing. They have also been trying to refit a donated 21 ft. boat to make trips to the raft.
Students grow different forms of algae for a variety of experimental purposes.
Well before the raft was launched, the students had to research what would be required to obtain a lease from Maine's Department of Marine Resources. They filled out the complex application themselves and now operate the raft under an experimental lease from the state. Interested in farming a variety of species, they are considering whether or not to raise baitfish at the school aquaculture center as a commercial venture. Students involved in aquaculture activities at all grade levels become academically motivated as they discover how their school work addresses local concerns. Although many lag behind in most subjects on Maine's Educational Assessment Tests, they have been edging forward in science proficiency.