Maine may legislate to restrict the development of RAS aquaculture

On Feb. 14, U.S. Rep. Pinny Beebe-Center (D-Maine) introduced "SP 254," which seeks to "protect Maine fisheries from industrial circular aquaculture operations." The bill will be heard on March 16, inviting the Maine Marine Resources Commission to attend and comment.

SP 254 requires that as of January 1, 2024, all RAS projects in Maine must not cause deterioration in water or air quality, or increase overall carbon emissions. Feed sources must be free of wild Marine life and polluting substances, including but not limited to wild finned fish, wild krill, genetically modified ingredients, PCBS and mercury. In addition, RAS projects must not have any adverse impact on the local lobster, shellfish, seaweed and fish fishing industries.

So far, the new bill has the support of other Democrats, who control both houses of Maine.

Tom Sorby, general manager of Kingfish Maine, a local producer, expressed concern because his RAS project is located in Jonesport, Maine. Sorby posted on linkdIn: "The new bill threatens U.S. food security and sustainable protein production by fundamentally restricting any type of land-based farming in Maine. This has nothing to do with protecting fisheries in Maine. They just want to stop land-based aquaculture in Maine."

Sorby noted that several of the requirements set forth in the new bill are already included in Maine's current license, and that it took Kingfish Maine three years to obtain all the required licenses, a process that was apparently rigorous enough.

As for feed requirements, Sorby says, "It is simply not feasible for the current mariculture industry not to use feed that does not contain Marine life. The feed industry is working hard to reduce the use of Marine raw materials, but it is still too early to be completely free of Marine life."