MAINE AQUACULTURE NEWS 2003. (Latest news at top of list)
Summarized by Ron Huber...More Aquaculture News
On August 15th, a media release describes concerns with the Aquaculture Task Force's failure to appoint a commercial fishing industry representative to its advisory panel as mandated by law.
On August 7th & 8th 2003, the Maine Aquaculture Task Force held its first public meeting. Read media coverage
On August 6, 2003 A proposed expansion of a salmon farm in Blue Hill Bay is criticised by Maine public, harbormasters, others during license hearing. Read Media Coverage Ellsworth American and Bangor Daily News
On August 6, 2003 the US Court of Appeals (1st Circuit) upholds anti-fishfarm lower court verdict; two Norwegian salmon farms must close down operations on Maine coast for three years. See: Related media story.
On August 4, 2003 DMR pulls controversial essay from AQ Task Force documents website
On July 7, 2003 a profile of the new Maine Aquaculture Task Force and its members is printed in the Ellsworth American
On July 18, 2003 US Public Interest Research Group filed suit in Maine Superior Court, charging that the new state "General Permit" for protecting water quality from salmon farm discharges fails to protect wild salmon. US PIRG, represented in court by National Environmental Law Center NELC, argues that the 'one-size-fits-all' general permit doesn't take into consideration the widely varying marine environments along the Maine coast. Nor will it adequately protect the sea floor from manure and feed deposition, or reduce the risk of salmon farm escapements.
On July 9, 2003 Maine Governor Baldacci announces the formation of an 11 member Maine Aquaculture Task Force. Created per legislative directive, the task force will hold its first meeting in Eastport, Maine August 7-8 2003
The Task Force's appointees include representatives of: Maine Sea Grant; University of Maine School of Marine Sciences, Blue Hill Heritage Land Trust, Ducktrap River Fish Farm (subsidiary of Fjord Seafoods), law firm Bernstein, Shur, Sawyer & Nelson; NGO Cobscook Bay Resource Center; Gulf of Maine Research Institute; Finance Authority of Maine, Gulf of Maine Ocean Observing System; marine consulting firm Resource Services, Inc, and Jim Salisbury, retired CEO of Supreme Alaska Seafoods (a US/Japan joint fishing venture.)
The Task Force will be advised by an 11 member Stakeholder Advisory Panel picked by the President of the Maine Senate and the Speaker of the Maine House from the following sectors: Two finfish aquaculture industry reps, (one large & one small company); Two shellfish aquaculture reps one large, one small company), One commercial fishing rep, one municipal harbormaster, one recreational marine industry rep; one coastal land trust; one environmental group; one tourist industry rep, one marine shipbuilding rep. Details: Maine DMR website: www.maine.gov/dmr
On July 5, 2003 Stolt Sea Farms begins removing ISA infected salmon from its fishpens in Cobscook Bay, following an 'eradication order' by Maine Marine Commissioner George Lapointe. 24,000 salmon are removed from the infected pen and sold for human consumption.
On July 3, 2003 Sea Web issues report: "What Price Farmed Fish: A Review of the Environmental and Social Costs of Farming Carnivorous Fish," Related media release
On June 18, 2003 the Maine Board of Environmental Protection approved new environmental permitting standards for most of Maine's salmon farms. Issued under federal CWA guidelines, the 'General Permit' requires salmon farms to increase their level of seafloor and water quality monitoring, and take steps to prevent fish escapes and reduce the use of drugs. Conservation groups Sierra Club and Conservation Law Foundation expressed disappointment, contending that the permit is too lenient and won't adequately protect wild salmon.
On June 11th , ISA infected salmon are detected at Heritage Seafoods' fishpens in Cobscook Bay. An 'eradication order' is issued by Maine Marine Commissioner George Lapointe. 28,000 adult fish are removed from the infected pen and sold for human consumption. ">Related media story
On June 6, 2003 Atlantic Salmon of Maine and Stolt Sea Farm Inc. filed a notice of appeal with the 1st Circuit Court of Appeals challenging US District Court Judge Gene Carter's 5/23/03 judgement against them. Appeal to be heard July 29, 2003 in First Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston. Related Media story
On May 28 2003 , US District Court Judge Gene Carter ruled in favor of plaintiff US PIRG in a pair of cases brought against Norwegian aquaculture firms Stolt Sea Farms and Atlantic Salmon of Maine. See cases online.
Judge Carter fined each company $50,000, and ordered them to: complete harvest of all fish presently in the two companies' Maine pens, fallow their lease sites for two to three years; remove all debris from the seafloor beneath their pen sites, refrain from restocking until receiving NPDES or MPDES permits, stock their fish strictly in single year class pens; refrain from stocking " any salmonid fish of non-North American stock or genetic strain." and pay plaintiff's attorney's fees. US PIRG was represented in the cases by the National Environmental Law Center (NELC).
On April 21, 2003 Governor Baldacci signs legislation establishing a Blue Ribbon Aquaculture Reform Task Force. Related media story.
On April 21, 2003 Governor Baldacci meets with conservation and industry groups re aquaculture. Related story
On April 16, 2003 Legislature's Marine Resource Committee gives an "Ought To Pass" to Governor Baldacci's bill to set up a Blue Ribbon Aquaculture Task Force. Seven aquaculture bills are "melded" into one. Related story
On April 9, 2003 Maine legislature's Marine Resources Committee hears a dozen bills relating to fishpens, shellfish cages, community rights and fishpen moratoria. Related story
On March 28, 2003 Two Penobscot Bay fishpen proposals are withdrawn from consideration by Fjord Seafoods proxy Jorn Vad. Related story
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