AUGUST 2022 UPDATE
Dear Supporters of Protect Maine’s Fishing Heritage Foundation,
Moratorium Update
Protect Maine’s Fishing Heritage Foundation added the selectboard of Roque Bluffs to its list of community concerned about the lax rules and regulations around industrial scale aquaculture along the Maine coast. Selectmen voted unanimously this month to adopt the moratorium until the community can develop its own ordinance (photo below).
The communities of Winter Harbor, Addison, Cutler, Machiasport, and Beals have all put forth moratoriums and are working on their own ordinances.
As Protect Maine has highlighted during each community presentation, we are fully supportive of small owner/operator aquaculturists and are concerned that industrial scale aquaculture could impact their operations as well. We recognize how important the small aquaculturists are to the Maine economy.
Industrial Scale Aquaculture
Protect Maine’s Fishing Heritage Foundation hosted a conversation with Pulitzer Prize winning investigative reporters Doug Frantz and Catherine Collins who recently released their novel regarding industrial scale aquaculture. The book entitled Salmon Wars: The Dark Underbelly of our Favorite Fish explores industrial-scale aquaculture around the world and in Maine.
You can listen to what the authors say about both American Aquafarms, the state of salmon farming generally, and the work that lies ahead.
You can listen to the podcast here: Protect Maine.
American Aquafarms project
Earlier this year, American Aquafarms’ (AA) Frenchman Bay project application was terminated by the state. In response AA sued the state. The Norwegian company has changed course yet again. AA has dropped its lawsuit against Maine. American Aquafarms has made it clear it intends to come back in some form, most likely with a new application.
Read more here:
Quietside Journal
BDN.
Foreign Investment
In Maine, we have seen foreign investment in the form of industrial scale aquaculture at the proposed 120-acre site for farm raised salmon at the foot of Acadia National Park with American Aquafarms site. A recent article in the CT Mirror takes a look at how billionaires are buying up the fishing industry.
“What we’re seeing is a fundamental transformation of the fishing industry,” said Seth Macinko, a former fisherman who’s now an associate professor of marine affairs at the University of Rhode Island. “Labor is getting squeezed and coastal communities are paying the price.”
Read the entire article here.
Finally, a bit of Summer Fun
This is our first logo wear for Protect Maine’s Fishing Heritage Foundation modeled by PMFHF board members. Former President and director Rock Alley and current President Zach Piper are pictured below.
We think these hats look really smaht! If you are interested, please contact us at protectmaine@gmail.com
As always, we are not averse to donations to keep this important work going along the Maine coast. Have a great August!
Sincerely,
Crystal Canney
Protect Maine’s Fishing Heritage Foundation
Protectmaine.com
207-615-5968