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V O L . X X X N O. X V I I I A U G U S T 1 9 , 2 0 2 4 18 G R E AT E R B A N G O R / N O R T H E R N M A I N E F O C U S "All of our employees — we're very proud about this — except for one are either tribal members or they support a tribal household," says Hill. "It's very important to us to develop and support jobs and the economic development abilities of our tribal people." e aquaculture side of the operation — with a focus on raising and distributing native brook trout — started about 15 years ago. e idea got started when Hill was in charge of put- ting inserts into the tribal monthly newsletter. "It was springtime, so I had picked the topic of fish advisories," she recalls. Advisories for the area warned of contamination in waters that tribal members typically fished, or recommended taking only one fish meal per month because of toxins. "We started to think: If we can't eat the fish that we catch locally and it's a major staple in our diet, tradi- tionally and presently — hey, let's look for grant money and grow our own fish," Hill says. e goal? To provide a healthy protein provided on a regular basis. "at's been going strong now for 15 years," says Hill. Free distribution e operation uses a recirculating aquaculture system that purifies the culture water and recirculates it contin- uously. e Nation had a well drilled specifically for the hatchery to pull groundwater into the tanks. e water is constantly filtered through layers of sand, carbon and other materials, making the water just as clean as when Quality coverage is everything. Business • Employee Benefits • Bonding • Home • Auto At United Insurance, our team is here to apply their knowledge and experience to help your business avoid getting burned by uncovered claims. UnitedInsurance.net » C O N T I N U E D F RO M P R E V I O U S PA G E P H O T O / F R E D F I E L D Sharing produce and fish is a key part of the exchange.

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