Maine Aquaculture
Save Frenchman Bay From Monster Fish Farm
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Overview
Frenchman Bay in Hancock County, Maine, supports fishermen, lobstermen, and small-scale aquaculture farmers, and is a home to many families. The bay provides habitat for many environmentally and economically important species, including eelgrass, sea scallops, blue mussels, and lobster.
Its surrounding landscapes, which include Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, and the Schoodic Peninsula, draw millions of tourists each year, who bring $380 million in revenue to the state annually.
Right now, all of that is under threat.
A newly formed company from Norway, called American Aquafarms, is trying to build an enormous salmon farm in Frenchman Bay, less than 2,000 feet from Acadia National Park. This project would be one of the largest ocean-pen salmon farms in the world and would release 4.1 billion gallons of polluted wastewater into the bay every day. It would also bring air, light, and noise pollution to the area.
As of now, the project is stalled. The permit was rejected by the state government on a technicality, but the company has vowed to continue pushing to get its project approved. American Aquafarms has already closed on the purchase of its processing plant and hatchery in Gouldsboro, and filed a lawsuit against the state to get its permit reinstated.
Oceana and our partners will continue to fight to ensure a project like this never goes forward. We’re calling on state and local authorities to publicly oppose this monster fish farm, and protect Maine’s clean waters, and the animals, families, and businesses that depend on them.
Victories
U.S. State of Maine’s Coastal Waters Temporarily Protected from Monster Fish Farm
Following campaigning by Oceana and our allies, the U.S. state of Maine’s coastal waters were protected from a monster fish farm proposal. Maine’s government rejected the Norwegian-based company American Aquafarms’ permit, halting construction for at least a few years. The proposal, located in Frenchman Bay near the shoreline of Acadia National Park, would be the largest ocean-pen salmon farm in North America. If built, it would pollute Maine’s pristine waters and marine ecosystem with more than 4 billion gallons of untreated wastewater every day. This area draws in millions of tourists each year, generating hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue for the state annually. The proposed fish farm would threaten the economy and those who rely on the bay for food, jobs, and a cherished way of life. Oceana is continuing to campaign for permanent protection for Frenchman Bay and Maine’s coastal waters.
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April 25, 2022
Source: Mongabay