April 14, 2021 — Tensions over Maine’s aquaculture industry again spilled into the Legislature on Tuesday as lawmakers held a public hearing on a proposal that would conduct a broad review of the way state regulators approve leases.
The bill is a concept draft that seeks a sweeping overhaul and review of how aquaculture projects are vetted and approved by the Maine Department of Marine Resources.
Critics say the approval process of projects along Maine’s vast coastline is too permissive, resulting in sprawling aquaculture farms that conflict with the state’s traditional fishing industries, such as lobstering.
Jon Lewis, a Boothbay resident who worked as the agency’s director for aquaculture for 23 years, told lawmakers on the Legislature’s Marine Resources Committee that the disputes over projects are on the rise.