Gov. Mills Announces Opposition to Monster Fish Farm Proposed for Frenchman Bay - Oceana USA

Gov. Mills Announces Opposition to Monster Fish Farm Proposed for Frenchman Bay

Press Release Date: August 10, 2022

Location: Augusta, Maine

Contact:

Megan Jordan | email: mjordan@oceana.org | tel: 202.868.4061

Gov. Janet Mills has announced her opposition to the monster fish farm proposed by American Aquafarms for Frenchman Bay in Maine, following a similar announcement from former Gov. Paul LePage.  

Matt Dundas, campaign director at Oceana, had the following reaction: 

“Mainers, including both candidates for governor, oppose American Aquafarms’ monster fish farm proposal off the state’s coast. Oceana applauds Gov. Mills and former Gov. LePage for opposing this massive industrial salmon farm in Frenchman Bay, next to Acadia National Park. As submitted, this farm would displace fishermen and lobstermen while releasing 4.1 billion gallons of polluted wastewater into the bay every day. The opposition from both major gubernatorial candidates, in addition to the overwhelming opposition from Hancock County voters, should spell the end of this ill-conceived notion. Oceana stands ready to fight this project should it ever return to threaten Maine’s coast.” 

Background 

Based on American Aquafarms’ proposal, this project would be one of the largest ocean-pen salmon farms in the world. Oceana says the fish farm would also bring noise, light pollution, and daily boat traffic to this remote and beautiful area, including the transporting of salmon excrement across the bay. In other parts of the world, massive salmon farms like this have also been known to invite disease and parasites, which often require vast amounts of pesticides and harmful chemicals.  

Earlier this year, Oceana released a poll finding that 66% of voters in Hancock County, Maine, oppose the controversial proposal to build a large-scale commercial fish farm in Frenchman Bay, right next to Acadia National Park. In a major blow to the proposal, Maine’s Department of Marine Resources (DMR) rejected a permit for the project, which resulted in the state’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) halting its formal review of the proposal. If allowed to move forward, Oceana says this monster fish farm would result in massive amounts of water pollution — discharging more than 4 billion gallons of polluted wastewater a day — while also threatening those that rely on the bay for food, jobs, and a cherished way of life. 

To watch Oceana’s video about the proposed project, click here