Proposed salmon farm highlights competing visions for future of Maine coast Share Updated: 6:25 PM EDT May 25, 2021 Share Updated: 6:25 PM EDT May 25, 2021 Hide Transcript Show Transcript - AND TELLS US THE STORY ... OF THE BATTLE UNDERWAY IN ONE OF MAINE'S MOST ICONIC PLACES. ((NAT)) 26:11-31 I THINK THIS IS GOING TO BE A REAL LANDMARK BATTLE ON THE COAST OF MAINE ON HOW WE TREAT OUR WATERS BECAUSE IF YOU CAN PUT SOMETHING LIKE THIS WITHIN THE SHADOW OF ACADIA NATIONAL PARK, YOU CAN PUT IT ANYWHERE YOU WANT IN THE STATE OF MAINE O'MEARA FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS, THE COAST OF MAINE... HAS BEEN AN ECONOMIC DRIVER. 17:41-50 THE MUSSEL FARMS THE OYSTER FARMS THE KELP THERE'S A KELP FARM OVER THERE . MMANNING7725. MXF BENNETT FISHERIES LIKE COD AND MACKEREL HAVE COME AND GONE, LOST TO OVERFISHING AND RAPIDLY WARMING WATERS FROM CLIMATE CHANGE, BUT NEW ONES HAVE EMERGED ... AS OTHERS... ((NAT)) HAVE HUNG AROUND. SINCE THE 70S, AQUACULTURE BUSINESSES HAVE BEEN GROWING IN MAINE... WITH MORE THAN 150 ACTIVE LEASES CURRENTLY ON THE BOOKS. 25:55-26:06 IT'S BEEN A LITTLE BIT OF A BUZZ AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN FOR ME PERSONALLY AND IT FEELS LIKE IN THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS ITS REALLY COME TO LIGHT AS A REALITY, GETTING FOR MORE SERIOUS I GUESS HANSCOM LATE LAST YEAR, RESIDENTS STARTED TO HEAR ABOUT A NEW A PROPOSAL FOR FRENCHMAN BAY... A CLOSED PEN SALMON FARM CALLED AMERICNA AQUAFARMS, THAT AT ITS FULL CAPACITY, WILL PRODUCE 66 MILLION POUNDS OF FISH EACH YEAR. COMPANY C-E-O MIKAEL ROENES (ROW-NESS) SAYS THE PROPOSAL IS GOOD FOR MAINE, GOOD FOR JOBS, AND GOOD FOR THE ENVIRONMENT - NO LONGER WILL THE U.S. HAVE TO RELY ON SEAFOOD CAUGHT IN OTHER COUNTRIES AND SHIPPED OVERSEAS... THE SALMON IN FRENCHMAN BAY WILL SPEND THEIR LIVES IN THE GULF OF MAINE... BEFORE THEY'RE PROCESSED, PURCHASED, AND CONSUMED IN THE U.S. 22:25-34 WE ALL TALK ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY AND THIS IS REAL SUSTAINABILITY WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY WE ARE DOING IT ROENES THE FISH PENS WOULD BE PLACED DIRECTLY IN THE BAY - 30 OF THEM EVENTUALLY, EACH 130 FEET IN DIAMETER... IN WATERS THAT MAINERS HOLD DEAR, IN THE SHADOW OF ACADIA NATIONAL PARK, 14:43-58 WE HAVE BEEN UP AND DOWN THE COAST OF MAINE AND IT'S THE WATER QUALITY, IT'S THE DEPTH, AND IT'S THE CURRENT AND ALSO THE FACT THAT YOU NEED SOME SHELTER. ROENES THE TECHNOLOGY AMERICAN AQUAFARMS WANTS TO USE IN THE BAY - A CLOSED PEN SYSTEM ... IS ON THE CUTTING EDGE - WATER AND WASTE ARE PUMPED OUT OF THE PENS... PROTECTING THE FISH INSIDE FROM ISSUES COMMON IN OPEN PEN SYSTEMS, LIKE LICE... WHILE LIMITING THE IMPACT ON THE ECOSYSTEM. 15:45-52 IT'S ABOUT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE NEXT GENERATION IN MAINE HAVE STEADY, GOOD JOBS ROENES THE MAINERS WHO LIVE AND WORK THERE NOW... ((NAT)) AREN'T CONVINCED... 12:21-24ABOUT 5 TOWNS FISH THIS AREA BENNETT MMANNING7724.MXF MANY ADAMANTLY OPPOSE THE PROJECT. 23:16-21 THESE ARE THE WRONG PEOPLE WITH THE WRONG PROJECT AND THE WRONG TECHNOLOGY IN ABSOLUTELY THE WRONG PLACE TED O'MEARA THE CONCERNS ARE VARIED - AND PLENTIFUL - FROM LOSING FISHING GROUND TO WHAT THE PROJECT WILL ACTUALLY áLOOK LIKE. 43:58-44:10 WHAT IF THIS ISN'T AS GREAT AS THEY SAY IT IS AND WE END UP GETTING POLLUTION OR WHATEVER FROM IT AND IT STARTS MAKING OUR LOBSTERS GO DOWN OR IT STARTS KILLING THE BOTTOM ZACH 37:50-58 THE NOISE OF THE GENERATORS ALONE IS GOING TO BE ECHOED FROM THE MOUNTAINS AND THE HILL AND THE CLIFFS. I DON'T THINK ITS GOING TO BE UNNOTICEABLE. KATHLEEN 27:47-58...28:02 I THINK IT WOULD BE HORRIFIC. LOUD SCREAMING GENERATORS LIGHTS THAT COULD LIGHT UP A FOOTBALL FIELD 24/7 YOU KNOW IT JUST, IT DOESN'T' BELONG IT DOESN'T BELONG... I PRAY TO GOD IT DOESN'T HAPPEN. HANSCOM ROENES BELIEVES THEIR CONCERNS ARE MANAGEABLE 22:06-22 WE WILL UH MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE AS LESS VISUAL IMPACT AS POSSIBLE AND IN TODAY IT'S ITS' DOABLE. IT'S UH IT'S DOABLE IF YOU'RE WILLING TO DO IT AND WE ARE WILLING TO DO IT ROENES THE PROPOSAL -IS IN THE DRAFT APPLICATION PHASE WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF MARINE RESOURCES - IT STILL NEEDS APPROVAL THERE, ALONG WITH OTHER PERMITS AND LICENSES... BUT THE HOPE IS FOR PEN PRODUCTION TO BEGIN LATE 20-22. THE PROJECT BRINGS UP A DEEPER ISSUE - A QUESTION OF IDENTITY - AND WHAT MAINERS ARE WILLING TO ACCEPT... AS TECHNOLOGY... AND INDUSTRY... ADVANCE. 26:34-52 AS A GUY BORN AND RAISED IN BAR HARBOR I'VE SAID IT A MILLION TIMES I FEEL LIKE THE BLUFFS RIGHT UP THERE IS THE RED CARPET TO BAR HARBOR AND TOURISM AND THAT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BAYS IN MAINE AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED AND DO WE WANT TO INDUSTRIALIZE IT L