Plan for salmon farm Down East prompts call for review of state licensing rules
Some believe that Maine's process for approving in-water aquaculture is too permissive, and that such operations could overtake the coastline.
Courtesy of American Aquafarms
Recent pushback surrounding a proposed in-water salmon farm in Frenchman Bay has fueled the efforts of a group advocating for changes to the state’s aquaculture regulations.
Protect Maine’s Fishing Heritage is calling for the Maine Department of Marine Resources to not only reject an as-of-yet unfiled proposal for a roughly 110-acre penned salmon fishery, but also revise the rules governing how such projects get approved. The group argues that without proper regulatory constraints, the state’s fast-growing aquaculture industry could disrupt traditional fishing activity and overtake the coast with large, industrial fish farm operations.