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For Immediate Release

Contact: Penobscot Bay Watch 594-5717 coastwatch@acadia.net

Aquaculture Task Force to explore coastal towns' role in decisionmaking.
Economics of fishfarms and implications of 'privatizing' public waters to be examined.

ROCKLAND. On October 16th the Task Force on Maine Aquaculture in Maine will meet at the Trade Winds Motor Inn in Rockland to consider the role of towns in aquaculture decisionmaking, the effect of leasing public submerged lands on other stakeholders , and the economic viabilty of Maine aquaculture in a global seafood market.

The meeting will be held in two parts: a daylong work session of the Task Force and its Stakeholder Advisory Panel during the day, followed by a public input session that evening. The public is welcome to attend both events.

Meeting Directions: Click Here. Meeting Agenda: Click Here __Briefing papers Click Here

The Task Force work session will feature proposals by Saint George Harbormaster Dave Schmanska for improving muncipal input into the leasing process; draft legislation from the Department of Marine Resources that would change town authority over aquaculture, an overview of the economic future of fishfarming and shellfish farming in Maine by consultant Michael Gardner of Gardner-Pinfold, Inc. and a discussion of the implications to fishermen and other marine waters users of privatizing public trust marine lands for fishfarming and shellfish farming.

The evening session will allow the Task Force members to hear from fishermen, landowners, civic leaders, conservationists, aquaculturists and others with their take on the above issues.

"The public needs to let the task force members know how your coastal town or city is dealing with aquaculture," said Ron Huber of Penobscot Baywatch. "Is shellfish farming or fishfarming bringing prosperity to your town? How can the process be improved? They really want to know."

The experiences of lobstermen, sailors and others that navigate and fish near shellfish farms or fishpens, and those of coastal landowners whose property values are affected by the leasing of waters adjacent to their holdings, will be invaluable in helping the Aquaculture Task Force draft legislation to give towns and other coastal water users their rightful place in aquaculture decisions, he said.

Saint George Harbormaster Dave Schmanska's proposals for improving municipal/state interactions over aquaculture include:
(1) Awarding intervener status automatically to a municipality when an aquaculture permit is sought in its waters. At present, this status must be applied for by the town within a certain time limit.

(2) Mandating pre-application hearings where municipalities, riparian owners, the applicant, and DMR representatives can identify potential problem areas before the application is submited to the state.

(3) Creating regional aquaculture review boards, where representatives of local civic and community interests would presecreen applications in terms of their possible noise and visual impacts, siting conflicts with local landowners' rights, and interference with fishing or navigation.

With multiple applications appearing in an increasing number of towns' waters along the coast, these review boards would provide expert guidance on the suitability of an aquaculture application from the commercial, social, economic and political interests unique to that town and its tidal waters.

Maine Department of Marine Resources has released a draft legislative bill that would modify municipal authority over marine aquaculture. In the bill, drafted by former maine Aquaculture Coordinator Andrew Fisk, towns would continue to be required to submit a request to become an intervenor, and would not have any decisionmaking authority regarding aquaculture. A second draft DMR bill would replace the existing state laws on town control over shellfish leases in the intertidal zone. Fisk wrote to the Task Force that the wording of the existing law "is inadequately drafted" "legally ambiguous", and "unworkable".

Regarding the Economics of aquaculture report on the economics of aquaculture in Maine waters will be given by Gardner Pinfold Consultants. The consultant was tasked to analyze the present and future economic impact and business viability of marine aquaculture in Maine.

To date the consultant has been gathering and assessing economic information from the aquaculture industry. This initial draft of their study will be released for discussion by the task force stakeholder advisory panel and the greater public at the meeting.

For more information on the aquaculture task force contact Penobscot Bay watch 594-5717