Aquaculture America 2020

February 9 - 12, 2020

Honolulu, Hawaii

EVOLVING SOCIAL LICENSE CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR SEA FARMING: A MAINE PERSPECTIVE

Paul Dobbins, World Wildlife Fund, Washington, D.C. 20037
 

Maine issued its first marine sea farm lease 46 years ago. Since that  first mussel farm lease, 28 other species have been farmed in our state waters, and our understanding of biology, ecology, and farm site technology and operations have improved dramatically. As innovation moved forward, so did the regulatory framework that codifies Maine farmer's social license to operate.

Through the first four decades of Maine's experience, opposition to leasing sites on the ocean  for farming has been ever present. Riparian owners, commercial fisherman, recreational boaters, conservation organizations, and  community members  concerned about the environment have  voiced opposition to  permitting  farm sites during and after the leasing process.

Over the last decade farming intensity has increased. Today there are 815 lease sites;  165 standard and 650 limited production sites in Maine waters.  In addition, 80 new standard site  applications  are being processed by the Maine Depart of Marine Resources.  As the number of sea farm sites has grown, opponents  to farming have adopted sophisticated approaches in their opposition to lease applications. But this is not the only change. Former sea farm opponents have begun farming, and in the bays  they farm , opposition is lessening, and social license to operate is improving.  This presentation will address what has changed  and how lessons learned over the past decade  may be employed in other regions.