Major setback for US East Coast salmon farm plan

Nordic Aquafarms has been trying for years to build the $500 million facility near the town of Belfast, Maine. It is also planning a large yellowtail farm in Humboldt County, on the California coast which is making much better progress.

But the Maine project hit the buffers this week when a group of councillors on Belfast City Council went back on a decision taken three years ago to acquire a piece of land that was essential for the project. The company said it needs the land in order to pump water in and out of the local bay. It has yet to make a formal declaration on the project, but the indications are that it may not go ahead unless it can restore the original decision on the land.

The company’s US CEO Brenda Chandler (pictured) said Nordic Aquafarms was saddened by the decision and was considering its options. She told local news media that the company had already invested a lot of money on the scheme.

The company has said on several occasions that the project will create many jobs and help boost the prosperity of the region. It stressed just a few weeks ago that it was committed to Belfast and committed to preserving the natural beauty of the  area.

It added: “It is important to underscore the significant contributions that Nordic Aquafarms will bring to Belfast and surrounding communities. “Our aquafarm project’s investment in Belfast’s economic development will result in increased tax revenue for the city, facilitate infrastructure upgrades, and create numerous new job opportunities while also providing valuable educational and internship prospects for Maine students.”