American Aquafarms set to buy Maine Fair Trade facility – The Ellsworth American

NEW BEDFORD, Mass.  – East Coast Seafood Group’s Chief Govt Officer William Blais confirmed Thursday night time that the corporate expects to finish the sale Friday, April 29, of its shuttered Maine Honest Commerce Lobster advanced within the Gouldsboro village of Prospect Harbor to American Aquafarms.

“MFTL [Maine Fair Trade Lobster] has been below contract for effectively over a 12 months,” Blais reported in an e-mail Thursday night time. “And sure we anticipate to lastly shut tomorrow. I don’t anticipate any additional delays.”

American Aquafarms’ Undertaking Supervisor Tom Brennan didn’t reply to The American’s request through phone or e-mail to additional verify or touch upon the sale’s closing. Information of the anticipated sale of the century-plus, seafood-processing facility follows Gouldsboro Selectmen’s 4-0 vote Thursday night time to increase its current finfish aquaculture moratorium for an additional six months.  Each Gouldsboro City Supervisor Eve Wilkinson and Planning Board Chairman Ray Jones mentioned the additional time was wanted to additional evaluate and refine a draft aquaculture licensing ordinance and potential amendments to the city’s web site plan, land use and different ordinances to higher regulate industrial-scale, fish-processing operations on the town akin to American Aquafarms’ venture.

“This has been a unprecedented factor,” Choose Board Chairman Dana Rice commented, referring to the controversy over and proceedings concerning American Aquafarms’ proposed plan. “I believe it’ll take a while to make it proper and truthful for everyone.”

Since mid-October in 2020, American Aquafarms has sought to boost 66 million kilos of Atlantic salmon off Bald Rock Ledge and Lengthy Porcupine Island in Frenchman Bay. Final week, the Maine departments of Marine Sources and Environmental Safety terminated the Norwegian-backed firm’s lease and wastewater allow purposes. Regulators cited the corporate’s failure to furnish a certified supply of Atlantic salmon eggs and juvenile fish and adjust to state genetic requirements and necessities as grounds for the 2 DMR purposes’ termination. The DEP’s dismissal of the 2 wastewater discharge license purposes was based mostly on the actual fact the proposed Bald Rock Ledge and Lengthy Porcupine Island websites had been now not within the working on account of the DMR purposes’ termination.

“We totally intend to hold our opposition ahead,” Buddies of Schoodic co-founder and Gouldsboro resident Jackie Weaver instructed Selectmen Thursday night time. “We’re nonetheless constructing what’s already a really sturdy case towards this venture. The combat is way from over.”