BELFAST — The Norwegian fish farm company, Nordic Aquafarms, announced it will not continue its efforts to build a fish farm in Belfast, citing continued legal issues with those who have long opposed the project. Nordic announced the decision with a Jan. 17, message  to those who have supported the company since it anounced its intention of building the fish farm in January 2018.  

"Today Nordic Aquafarms Inc announced they will no longer pursue their Belfast, Maine aquaculture project. This decision comes after long-fought legal challenges waged by opposition. The company exits after tens of millions of investment dollars and many years of planning and permitting in the State of Maine.

"The company received all local, state, and federal permits necessary to build an on-land salmon farm on the 57-acre site in late 2020 and has been defending them and other legal challenges since. The overwhelming consensus among experts and decision-makers was that the Nordic Aquafarms project aligns with both environmental and community goals.

"It is essential to recognize that meaningful environmental progress requires practical solutions. Land-based aquaculture is one such solution, offering a scalable, sustainable way to meet the growing demand for seafood without depleting and damaging our oceans. “This is a sad day for Maine’s economy and outlook for aquaculture or any significant investment in the State” says Brenda Chandler, US CEO for Nordic.

“While a few may view this as a victory, we argue that this is a significant loss overall, not just for Nordic Aquafarms but for the community. The expanded tax base for the City of Belfast was significant; new jobs for the area was significant; and Maine’s leadership in aquaculture-born solutions also significant.” “Activism has its place, but with oceans under increasing pressure, solutions like land-based aquaculture are not just innovative-they are essential.” continues Chandler. “By cultivating finfish in a controlled, environmentally responsible manner, land-based aquaculture addresses several critical challenges: a reduction of the overall CO2 footprint; minimizing water usage; reducing reliance on imported seafood; and protecting wild fish populations.

"We have emphasized these points before, and they are more important now than ever. At a time when global food security is a pressing issue, projects like this represent a small but impactful step toward a more sustainable future.” “I cannot thank our supporters enough,” says Chandler. “We sincerely thank the hundreds of people who work tirelessly on this project at city, state, and federal levels; and we want to send special thanks to our supporters who advocated with reason and truth.”