Tracking snails on kelp farms

[cara_blaine]

Hi everyone! I am a master's student at University of New England in Maine working with Dr. Carrie Byron to identify the timing and patterns of settlement and egg-laying of Lacuna vincta snails on kelp farms (picture attached). 

I would love to collaborate with kelp farmers from near and far to add some data to this research. The information I will be collecting is simple, mostly when snails and snail eggs first appear on your farm. If you have seen snails on your farm and would like to participate, please get in touch! 

Thank you so much. I am looking forward to meeting members of this community!

Cara Blaine, cblaine@une.edu

[azure_cygler]

@cara_blaine - Hi Cara, happy to work with you! My email is ATeamCoastal@gmail.com My farm is in Narragansett Bay, RI if you need samples/data from that area.

Thanks,

Azure

[suzie_flores]

@cara_blaine - Count me in! We saw more snails than ever before this year. I am not sure why - warmer waters? Maybe just a good year for snails?

I noticed they would weasel into the stipes of the kelp and chomp through impacting the stipe sails at the end of my season. Any help predicting when to pull gear to avoid the snail invasion would be great information to have.