Shaw Institute Collaborating with University of Maine’s Lobster Institute and School of Marine Sciences
Maine’s iconic American lobster fishery, valued at over $483 million in 2023 and contributing more than $1 billion to the state’s economy, is facing a new challenge: per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances – better known as PFAS. These “forever chemicals,” found in countless industrial and home goods, are a growing environmental threat with documented negative health effects in humans and aquatic life. While Maine has been at the forefront of mitigating PFAS exposure, particularly in agriculture, the impact on its vital marine resources, especially at early life stages, remains largely unknown.
That’s where our new pilot study comes in, which is a collaboration with the University of Maine’s Lobster Institute and School of Marine Sciences. This project, strongly aligned with the Maine-SMART Initiative, aims to gather crucial baseline information on how PFAS exposure affects larval American lobsters.
Why is this study so important?
- Protecting Maine’s Economy and Identity: The lobster fishery is deeply intertwined with Maine’s cultural identity and economic well-being. Understanding the impacts of PFAS on larval lobsters is critical to sustaining this vital resource.
- Addressing a Critical Knowledge Gap: While PFAS contamination has been linked to oxidative stress in crustaceans, and other pollutants are known to negatively impact larval lobster survival and development, the specific effects of PFAS on early life history stages of lobsters are not well understood. This pilot study is an essential first step in filling that gap.
- Understanding Combined Stressors: The Gulf of Maine is warming faster than 99% of the global oceans, making it a climate change “hotspot”. Research suggests that the combined effects of PFAS exposure and ocean warming can be more detrimental to marine life than either stressor in isolation. This study will lay the groundwork for future research into these interactive effects.
- Fostering Collaboration and Training: This project establishes a new partnership between UMaine and the Shaw Institute, expanding outreach, science education, and student training opportunities in STEM. It will also support community science programs, increasing environmental literacy and offering mentorship and professional opportunities for diverse ages.
What will the study involve?
The pilot study will examine how exposure to environmentally relevant concentrations of PFAS influences the behavior, health, and survival of postlarval (PL) lobsters, a critical transitional stage from the pelagic to benthic ecosystem zones.
Researchers will test two key hypotheses:
- Exposure to PFAS will significantly affect the swimming and feeding behavior of PL American lobsters, as well as known indicators of stress.
- The magnitude of these effects will be directly related to the concentration of PFAS exposure.
Lobsters will be acquired from the Downeast Institute and potentially supplemented with wild-caught individuals. They will be exposed to varying concentrations of a target PFAS compound, determined in consultation with the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) based on environmental monitoring data. The study will assess feeding behavior, swimming and exploratory behavior, morphometrics, and stress indicators like total hemocyte counts. This new larval lobster research will take place at the Shaw Institute in downtown Blue Hill, Maine.
Looking Ahead
The results of this pilot study will be crucial for securing additional funding to continue this vital research. Future work aims to explore the interactive effects of ocean warming and PFAS exposure, with plans to rear larval lobsters from hatch and expose them to various temperature and PFAS treatments. This expanded research will delve deeper into larval development time, survival, morphometrics, and overall stress.
Beyond the scientific outcomes, this project is committed to supporting the next generation of marine scientists. It will provide training, mentorship, and professional opportunities for graduate students and undergraduate interns, with a focus on diversifying the field of marine science. The team also plans to actively engage with the fishing industry and management sectors, sharing findings and fostering collaboration to address these pressing issues facing Maine’s iconic lobster fishery.
Photo at top courtesy of Derek Keats.
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