Protect Maine’s Fishing Heritage Foundation continues to work with towns to prevent the sale of the Maine coast for private gain. Our efforts aim to preserve public access for marine harvesters and the public at large, maintaining water quality, and ensuring proper regulation of the state’s public trust. Protect Maine continues to advocate for small owner-operated aquaculture. We believe that with appropriate siting and community input small owner-operated aquaculture is an ideal way to diversify the commercial fishery.
In The News
A recent federal court decision noted that “a nationwide permit for industrial scale aquaculture structures was unlawful. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ approval of the permit for finfish nets and cages was found to violate several environmental laws.” This article further commented that, “The ruling comes as an increasing number of Maine communities adopt emergency aquaculture moratoriums….”
Protect Maine is actively supporting several towns working to enact moratoriums. Fortunately, home rule allows communities to have a say in the management of their waters. Like so many towns up and down the coast, we continue to oppose unregulated industrial-scale aquaculture. A recent article from the Thomson Reuters Foundation shed light on the challenges faced by towns dealing with industrial-scale aquaculture.
“In Maine, concerns over proliferating fish farms have led 10 communities to seek to curtail such operations.”
“Fishermen are losing acres, debris is a problem, there is no local benefit ... and it’s hurting our heritage fisheries”; said Glenda Beal, chair of the local government body in Beals, Maine.”
The town of Beals currently has a moratorium on aquaculture due to a significant salmon die-off at net pens this summer. Unfortunately, The Maine Department of Environmental Protection gave a thumbs up to Cooke Aquaculture, the owner, on the same day as the die-off. The inspection reports, which were obtained by Protect Maine through a Freedom of Access Act (FOAA) request - cited no issues during the inspection, yet hours later there was a massive die off. To read the inspection reports, click here.
This is one reason donations are important. Protect Maine files FOAAs to ensure there is transparency in government. We have noticed a trend of increased delays and costs when filing FOAAs with some state agencies. Protect Maine is not alone – other organizations have seen similar increases.
If you think transparency in government is important you can be one of our “Transparency Champions” and donate to this important effort. You can see what we have uploaded to our FOAA tab on our website. If you see something we missed – let us know with either a call or an email. We are a small organization and can use as many eyes as possible from the experts – our fishermen, lobstermen and women and citizens.
Phone: 207 615 5968
Email: Protectmaine@gmail.com
Recognition of the work ahead
Protect Maine has been granted support from the Global Salmon Farming Resistance for upcoming projects in 2025. We appreciate this funding as it helps to fuel our mission.
Join the group of people who see value in protecting the Maine coast from industrial scale aquaculture. You can easily contribute here: www.protectmaine.com/donate.