Kingfish Maine, the company planning to build a recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) yellowtail kingfish farm in Jonesport, Maine, U.S.A., at an estimated cost of USD 110 million (EUR 103 million), said it expects to succeed in an appeal of its recently acquired permissions from the town's planning board.
Protect Maine announced on 13 December it plans to appeal a recent decision by the Jonesport Planning Board approving the project. Protect Maine suggested The Kingfish Company, Kingfish Maine's parent firm, failed to meet land-use standards and lacked funding to pay for the entirety of the project, which it said is required by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection prior to construction beginning.
Kingfish Maine Operations Manager Megan Sorby, however, said the company has already provided more than enough information to qualify for the permits – which she said is why they were granted in the first place.
“Kingfish provided significant information supporting its financial capacity to proceed with its fully permitted development in the U.S. It is standard practice for any development to update financial capacity with the DEP prior to the start of construction, which is why it is included in conditions,” Sorby said. “We know this and fully intend to do so, just as we have adhered to all other permit conditions to date.”
The Kingfish Company said Protect Maine is funded by the owners of the Roque Island Gardner Homestead Corporation and the family members who own the island in question. That group, the company claimed, has “battled Jonesport for control of its future” before, and fought a legal battle with Jonesport itself to try and lower its tax bill, per the Bangor Daily News.
“These are the latest desperate measures the members of Roque Island and their paid consultants are taking to distract from the fact that the town is overwhelmingly supportive of this project and that it adheres to the highest standard within the rigorous permitting process,” Sorby said. “They alone are in opposition and don’t care how much they cost the people of Jonesport in that stance.”
Initial reception of the project was positive at the first ever public meeting on the subject in 2019. An informal vote at the first proposal showed overwhelming support, and town residents overwhelmingly voted 201 to 91 against a moratorium on aquaculture projects after a petition to hold the vote was circulated by project opponents.
“Roque Island is sparing no expense to go after the town of Jonesport and continue its campaign to stop this project,” Sorby said. “And the town of Jonesport will unfortunately have to pay for their continued appeals of a project that’s received the blessing of not only the town, but state and federal agencies.”
Sorby said the company respects the town, state, and federal permitting process, and plans to continue moving forward with the project.
“We are confident the appeals from Roque Island will be denied just as they have been to date, and we will begin the construction process next year," Sorby said.
Photo courtesy of Kingfish Company
