Kingfish Maine is fully permitted to construct a land-based recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) facility growing yellowtail kingfish, Seriola lalandi, on an approximately 94-acre parcel of land in Jonesport, Maine.
Kingfish Maine is part of Center for Cooperative Aquaculture Research (CCAR), where it is building its Yellowtail broodstock for production at the proposed Jonesport facility. Earlier this year, a limited release of Dutch Yellowtail from Maine (8000 lbs.) was distributed to and served at restaurants in Maine, Boston, DC and California. Another harvest is scheduled for late this year.
From its introduction in 2019, the Kingfish team launched an extensive community engagement campaign to educate and inform the community of Jonesport on the economic benefits of the project as well as RAS technology. Kingfish’s community outreach is grass-roots and focused on in-person meetings. Over four years, the team held more than 30 community gatherings including library information sessions, “Coffee with Kingfish” informal meetings and “Talk and Taste” sessions featuring a chef preparing Kingfish Yellowtail.
Also, Kingfish Maine began building its future work force. The team donated a small recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) to Jonesport Beals High School. Now in its fourth year, the Kingfish is helping students stock the system and learn the process of growing and harvesting fish. Statewide apprenticeship programs and new college-level aquaculture courses are in development with the help of Kingfish.
There is an anti-aquaculture group in Maine, backed by wealthy landowners and well-funded consultants, which is taking aim at large aquaculture projects in the state. And Kingfish has been targeted as well. After Kingfish received all its federal and state permits, this group began a misinformation campaign against the project.
Also, a six-month moratorium on all large scale aquaculture projects in Jonesport was introduced in 2022, backed by the anti-aquaculture forces. This Kingfish team and its supporters banded together to “get out the vote” and, in the end, the moratorium was defeated by a record 2 to 1 margin.
Over four years, the Kingfish Maine team has built understanding and trust for a project to bring jobs and economic development to the Downeast region of Maine. Early community engagement and a continued commitment to honest and open dialogue has paved the way for development of this successful RAS project.