© The Kingfish Company
The opponents to the project, Protect Downeast, have filed multiple appeals about the plans and permits for the land-based recirculating aquaculture (RAS) facility, which has been fully permitted since 2022. All appeals ruled upon to date have been denied.
The latest appeal was heard before Maine’s Business and Consumer Court which, by written decision earlier this week, rejected every one of Protect Downeast’s arguments and denied the appeal. 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.
“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,” said Vincent Erenst, The Kingfish Company CEO. “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 tonnes of yellowtail.
