Good Afternoon,
Protect Maine’s Fishing Heritage (PMFH) wanted to add its voice to those concerned about the coronavirus. We are hoping you are all being careful and taking the necessary precautions to protect yourselves, your families and community. If you haven’t seen the Governor’s request for additional help for the fishing (lobstering) community here is a link to an article in the Portland Press Herald.
PMFH has spent the last year working on solutions designed to make the lobstering, fishing and recreating communities open to all and strong for all who enjoy Maine’s waters. In that spirit, we have continued our work. LR 2718 was a bill that we submitted in the last legislative session and it stayed on the table until the legislature adjourned on March 14.
The legislation sponsored by Senator David Miramant proposed:
Reducing the length of time one could hold an aquaculture lease
Requiring a mandatory public hearing for the transfer of a lease
Reducing the size of leases – currently an individual, business or corporation can have a total of 1,000 acres
Requiring an alternative site analysis during the applications process
PMFH is in contact with residents, lobstermen, fishermen and others around the state who are concerned about the rapid growth of aquaculture leases at a time when DMR has acknowledged it doesn’t have a plan or adequate staff to oversee the growing aquaculture industry.
We will also be watching a situation in Cutler, where a proposed salmon farm owned by DMR would need approval from DMR for the lease site. While all aquaculture hearings appear to be on hold for several weeks we will be paying particular attention to this lease site that would add net pen salmon in Cutler.
In the meantime, we are here for you. Please stay in touch and be well.
Crystal Canney
Protect Maine’s Fishing Heritage