(BAR HARBOR, Maine) – With Bar Harbor lobstermen solidly opposing a massive salmon farm proposed for Frenchman Bay, the Bar Harbor town council voted unanimously July 15th to seek intervener status in the state review of American Aquafarms lease applications to the Maine Department of Marine Resources.

Protect Maine’s Fishing Heritage Foundation(PMFHF) was one of several groups under the umbrella of Frenchman Bay United that participated in an informational session in Prospect Harbor recently regarding the proposed American Aquafarms in-water net pen salmon project. There is a ton of interest regarding what this could mean for the entire state and the lobster industry.

Dear Mr. Clement:

Protect Maine’s Fishing Heritage Foundation (PMFHF) along with a number of lobstermen and women is deeply concerned about the effects of the proposed American Aquafarms in water salmon pen aquaculture leases in Frenchman Bay at the foot of Acadia National Park.

(Augusta, Me) – American Aquafarms, a company led by a Norwegian businessman with a troubled financial past, has been accepted for consideration by the Department of Marine Resources for exclusive use with the state for 30 pens of in-water salmon aquaculture in Frenchman Bay adjacent to Acadia National Park. The application was immediately met with strong opposition from local lobstermen and women, and numerous groups opposing the project.

Originally Published in the Mount Desert Islander

To the Editor:

“Let’s get the record straight,” pleads Sebastian Belle (Islander, April 29), the executive director of the Maine Aquaculture Association. But the argument he sets out is far from straightforward.

Try as he might to frame the controversy as “wealthy landowners” versus “the working waterfront,” preventing the industrialization of Maine’s coastal communities is about a lot more than the people opposing it.

Good Afternoon,

Protect Maine's Fishing Heritage Foundation is actively working with 4 different groups in Frenchman Bay around opposing a large-scale aquaculture project. As you may be aware, there is a proposal for two aquaculture leases totaling more than a hundred acres for in-water salmon pens at the foot of Acadia National Park.

Letter to the Editor originally published in the Bangor Daily News

I lobster out of Lamoine and Frenchman Bay is one of my greatest fishing areas. I don’t understand how we have gotten to the point in Maine where we would want large scale industrial aquaculture in rich fishing grounds. But here we are entertaining 30 pens containing salmon to be raised in the ocean.

(Frenchman Bay, Maine) - American Aquafarms is proposing an industrial scale salmon farm using untested technology at the foot of Acadia National Park. On April 28th, American Aquafarms held a sham question and answer session in which the audience was hidden, the chat and question functions were disabled, and the company selected the questions.

Originally Published in the Mount Desert Islander

By Jerilyn M. Bowers

Sebastian Belle is quick to lay blame (Islander, April 29) on a “few wealthy landowners” for “attacking the many who make their living on the water.” While that scenario makes for good theater, it is simply a clever attempt to distract you from the facts.

Let’s do as Mr. Belle suggests and “get the record straight” by reviewing the facts:

(Portland, Me.) Protect Maine’s Fishing Heritage Foundation (PMFHF) is supporting LD 101 which would pause all wind energy projects in state waters. The bill is sponsored by Rep. Billy Bob Faulkingham (R- Winter Harbor).