Don Webster

Don Webster is an extension specialist with over 40 years experience in aquaculture policy and production. He has served as the UM Extension representative to the Maryland Aquaculture Coordinating Council that advises the Governor and Legislature and been elected Chair several times. He serves as the Maryland representative to the Technical Advisory Council of USDA’s Northeastern Regional Aquaculture Center, which funds multistate research and extension development projects.

He advised the State in the recent revision of its shellfish leasing program to become one of the most modern in the nation and developed extension training programs to provide the required skills to those creating and operating financially successful aquaculture businesses. He has led the Oyster Aquaculture Education and Training Program during the past decade with funding from NOAA and a private foundation and currently works with a national team of engineers and extension faculty on a 5 year USDA funded project to apply advanced technology and robotics to develop large-scale production of shellfish using aquaculture techniques.