American Aquafarms is set to publicly discuss its plan moving forward to raise Atlantic salmon at two sites in Frenchman Bay, Maine after the state terminated its applications.
Mount Desert Island’s Acadia Senior College has invited the company and those opposed to its plans to present each side of the argument via online sessions on 10th May and 17th May respectively.
American Aquafarms’ Project Manager Tom Brennan is set to present the company’s proposal to raise Atlantic salmon at the Maine locations, where he is expected to highlight the expected economic benefits for the local community. Brennan has served as the key spokesperson for the salmon farm project since it was announced back in 2020.
Read also: American Aquafarms buys Maine Fair Trade Prospect Harbor property
Back in April, American Aquafarms stated that it is “taking a pause to understand” a decision by Maine authorities to terminate a controversial application for the company to grow Atlantic salmon in net pens in the area.
Maine’s Department of Marine Resources (DMR) terminated the application for the $300 million American Aquafarms project on Wednesday over, among other things, “genetics questions” about the company’s plan to source its eggs from AquaBounty.
“The DMR response is perplexing to say the least, and the way it has been communicated is a surprise… I expect the company owners are taking a pause to understand what this all means for the future,” Brennan said at the time.
Despite the recent setback, American Aquafarms proceeded with the purchase of Maine Fair Trade Lobster’s property in Prospect Harbor. The sale of the seafood processing facility was confirmed on 29th April by the East Coast Seafood Group’s Chief Executive Officer, William Blais.
