Kingfish US project moves closer after Maine court success

The Kingfish Company has overcome a major hurdle against opponents trying to prevent the company building a yellowtail facility in Maine on the US East Coast.

A group called Protect Downeast has in the past launched several appeals against the granting of municipal permits for the project.

But this week the latest appeal attempt, which was held before Maine’s Business and Consumer Court, ended with the rejection of all the group’s arguments.

In doing so, the Maine court found in favour of the town of Jonesport and Kingfish Maine and upheld the permits issued by the Planning Board under the town’s Land Use Development Ordinance and Shoreland Zoning Ordinance.

Kingfish CEO Vincent Erenst said: “We are encouraged by the court’s decision to deny another appeal by Protect Downeast. Our permits stand on a factual and scientific basis that we adhere to all requirements set forth by the Town of Jonesport.

“We thank the community for the continued support of our project.”

Separately, Kingfish Maine’s state-issued environmental permits have also been upheld by the Maine Board of Environmental Protection and the Maine Superior Court, as they await the ruling on a separate appeal at the Maine Supreme Judicial Court due in the coming months.

Kingfish Maine is part of The Kingfish Company which produces high value Yellowtail at its Kingfish Zeeland facility in the Netherlands.

Once the Jonesport Maine facility is fully operational, Kingfish Maine is projected to produce 8,500 metric tons of yellowtail.

On Tuesday the parent Kingfish Company reported a 32% increase in its 2024 second quarter profits.