Sebastian Belle, the head of the Maine Aquaculture Association, has been appointed to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee.
The committee advises the Secretary of Commerce and NOAA on issues related to living marine resources, according to a press release from U.S. Senators Angus King (I-Maine) and Susan Collins (R-Maine).
“Sebastian has established himself as a national leader in the aquaculture industry, and his expertise will help guide the Department of Commerce and NOAA as they shape important policy relating to our marine resources,” the senators said in a statement. “Sebastian brings with him a deep understanding of Maine’s diverse ecosystem that supports our state’s coastal communities creates and sustains jobs, and helps drive the economy.”
A former lobsterman and state aquaculture coordinator, Belle was one of the cofounders of TAAG, a consultancy specializing in aquaculture investment. He is also the president of Econ-Aqua, a consultancy focusing on aquaculture farm management. Previously, he also served as a manager of the Bluefin Tuna Project at the New England Aquarium in Boston, Massachusetts and as operations manager for Connors Aquaculture in Eastport, Maine, which farms Atlantic salmon.
