Aquaculture leases focus of hearings Citizen petition seeks changes to law

MACHIAS – A citizen petition to make significant changes to Maine’s aquaculture lease law will go to public hearings for three days next week.

The state Department of Marine Resources will conduct the hearings Monday through Wednesday in Eastport, Ellsworth and Yarmouth.

The Conservation Law Foundation of Rockland and the East Penobscot Bay Environmental Alliance spearheaded the January petition, which was signed by more than 200 people from Deer Isle, Stonington, Brooksville, Bar Harbor, Ellsworth, Blue Hill and Rockland.

Concern about salmon aquaculture has been growing in Hancock County for several years as the industry – which began in Washington County – began moving farther down the coast in search of new lease sites.

That concern also is evident in Washington County.

Last week, a DMR hearing on a Norwegian company’s proposal to site two new salmon farms in Passamaquoddy Bay drew more than 80 people. Initially scheduled for one day, the hearing stretched to three days as both Washington County and Hancock County opponents questioned the applicant and testified against the proposal.

Among the changes the petitioners are proposing to DMR are:

. Improved notice and participation provisions for municipalities, fishermen and residents;

. Increased consideration of potentially conflicting uses of a lease area, including recreation and tourism;

. Improving and expanding the environmental data the DMR uses to evaluate a lease site;

. More environmental monitoring and reporting;

. Increased protection against disease and parasite outbreaks, and

. More assurance that abandoned sites will be cleaned up.

Most of the petitioners’ concerns were expressed during the last legislative session as members of the Marine Resources Committee contemplated a host of changes to the current siting law, including some recommended by the DMR.

But committee members failed to reach unanimous agreement and no bill emerged.

“The department and the industry have refused to entertain serious discussion about reform of the siting process,” said Sally McCloskey, president of the East Penobscot Bay Environmental Alliance, in a news release this week.

“With an appropriate planning and management program, the siting conflicts that threaten the future of both aquaculture and our coast could be far more efficiently addressed and resolved,” she said.

All hearings will take place at 6 p.m. The hearing in Eastport is Monday, May 6, at the Marine Trades Center. The Ellsworth hearing is Tuesday, May 7, at the Bryant E. Moore Middle School cafeteria. The Yarmouth hearing will take place Wednesday, May 8, at the Yarmouth High School cafeteria.