Aquaculture, or water farming as it is sometimes called, is a bright spot in Maine’s economic future. Gov. Angus King made aquaculture one of the building blocks of his economic plan for the state. A report by the Department of Marine Resources called aquaculture’s gains over the last 20 years “impressive” and promised to “transform aquaculture into a major growth industry for the state.”

As the commercial catch of wild fish declines, aquaculture is filling the gap. In the last decade, aquaculture production has increased by ten percent per year. Aquaculture now produces one-third by weight of all the fish eaten in the world.

Maine is ideally suited to capitalize on this boom in aquaculture. Maine has more miles of coastline than the state of California with excellent water quality. The major East Coast seafood markets are within driving distance. This combination of rich natural resources and strategic location has made Maine the fourth largest aquaculture producing state. And Maine is No. 1 in marine aquaculture.

Unfortunately, some activist groups like the National Environmental Law Center in Boston and the U.S. Public Interest Research Group in Washington, D.C., want Maine out of the salmon-farming business. In a mean-spirited attack in this paper (BDN, Dec. 31), they accused Maine salmon farmers of “shamelessly holding the Maine coastal environment hostage.” They’ve also filed lawsuits against Maine salmon farmers.

Though this may seem to be a battle over the environment, it’s really a battle over jobs. And a battle over who can best protect Maine’s environment: the people of Maine and their government or special interests in Boston and Washington, D.C.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports that Maine salmon farmers employ 1,200 people at 12 companies in 25 locations, but that’s just the beginning. Including all the services salmon farmers buy – truck drivers, welders, divers, boat repairs – the industry produces 2,500 Maine jobs and $140 million of economic activity.

Are these jobs being created at the expense of the environment? The DMR concluded in its report that “Aquaculture can provide high quality food in an environmentally responsible manner.” Even the environmentalists concede that Maine is doing it right. In a report titled “Murky Waters,” the Environmental Defense Fund grudgingly conceded that “Maine aquaculture appears to have not caused serious environmental degradation.”

Last year infectious salmon anemia – a disease that affects only salmon – was found in Cobscook Bay. Salmon farmers quickly destroyed at-risk stocks and instituted measures to stop the spread of the disease. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has earmarked $16.4 million to help Maine salmon farmers eradicate ISA. U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe was a strong supporter of this aid correctly noting that “Maine’s aquaculture industry could be seriously threatened.” Predictably, the same groups that are suing Maine salmon farmers denounced the aid, despite the fact that it is part of the USDA’s ongoing program to help farmers hit by unexpected disasters.

Last year, salmon farmers and local environmental groups, which had previously been on opposite sides of just about every issue, reached agreement on steps that will decrease the chances that farmed salmon will escape into the wild. One Maine newspaper said it was “a fine example of meeting new demands with old-fashioned Yankee ingenuity.” Maine salmon farmers are pitching in to restore wild salmon runs by raising native salmon to maturity before they are released, thus increasing their chances of survival.

Yes, aquaculture does represent a new way of putting fish on the table. And yes, it will bring some change to Maine. But it also represents the future and a source of jobs for Mainers. If we can keep our eye on the opportunity, avoid the shrill rhetoric and work together to solve problems, Maine will be benefit greatly from what is now the fastest-growing segment of U.S. agriculture.

Sebastian Belle is the executive director of the Maine Aquaculture Association.