Mainebiz

W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 19 J U N E 1 , 2 0 2 6 F O C U S A G R I C U LT U R E / A Q UA C U LT U R E urchins can become a viable emerging crop in Maine," he says. Land-based fish farms Dutch fish farmer Kingfish Co. says it will continue planning for construction of a land-based aquaculture operation in Jonesport, after it won a court victory in Maine affirming state permits for the site. e company produces yellow- tail kingfish — considered a versatile fish species — at its facility in the Netherlands. e proposal for Jonesport is to build a 500,000-square-foot recir- culating aquaculture system facility in a phased build-out. Despite multiple appeals by opposition groups, denied each time, Kingfish Maine remains fully permitted and is submitting a Maine Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit renewal to the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, says Tom Sorby, Kingfish Maine's operations manager. "We do not foresee any issues for renewal as we have not deviated from our original plans," he adds. e construction timeline, contrac- tors and cost are to be determined. e company is working on genetic advance- ments in broodstock at its Dutch facility. Great Northern Salmon, head- quartered in Portland, is getting closer to its goal of building a land-based salmon farm at One North, the former Great Northern Paper mill site in Millinocket. e company has said it has established partnerships with production, technology, finance and construction companies. e goal is to build a recirculating aquaculture sys- tem to produce Atlantic salmon. Lessons from Japan A delegation organized by Maine Sea Grant and University of Maine Cooperative Extension traveled earlier this year to Hokkaido, Japan, to study advanced sea urchin farming techniques and explore how they could be adapted to strengthen Maine's industry. Japanese techniques range from open water wild harvest to bot- tom leasing, confined structures and submerged cage culture, says Hugh Cowperthwaite, Coastal Enterprises Inc.'s senior program director for fisheries and aquaculture, who helped coordinate the trip. e trip builds on collaboration between Maine and Japan's marine industries, particularly in scallops. e delegation spent five days visiting hatcheries, farms, processors and research facilities. e Japanese use of hatcheries to produce urchins was compelling, says Cowperthwaite. Urchins are then seeded on the sea bottom for harvest. "at's a pretty interesting model that I think could be considered here in Maine on an approved lease site," he says. Previous Maine delegations returned with methodology and technology for farm-raised scallops and kelp. "Sea urchins seem to be a species primed for that opportunity," he says. "is could offer new and diversified opportunities for Maine fisheries." Laurie Schreiber, Mainebiz senior writer, can be reached at lschreiber @ mainebiz.biz P H O T O / C O U R T E S Y AT L A N T I C B L U E B I O C O R P. R E N D E R I N G / C O U R T E S Y K I N G F I S H M A I N E P H O T O / C O U R T E S Y C O A S TA L E N T E R P R I S E S I N C . Krista Rosen, left, and Inga Potter started Atlantic BlueBio Corp. to develop high-value marine-derived ingredients from seaweed. Our sector is really based on innovation, even going back to the early days. — Sebastian Belle Maine Aquaculture Association A Maine delegation visited sea urchin hatcheries in Japan and got a lesson in extracting uni — the edible interior — from the spiky creatures. Dutch fish farmer Kingfish Co. says it will continue planning for construction of a land- based aquaculture operation in Jonesport.

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