Kingfish Maine obtains permit critical to RAS plans

Kingfish Maine, a subsidiary of Danish-owned The Kingfish Company, has received a permit critical to the company’s plans to establish a land-based recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) raising yellowtail in Jonesport, Maine, U.S.A.

The Maine Department of Environmental Protection has approved the Maine Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (MEPDES) permit for the company’s aquaculture facility. The approval validates the company’s ability to meet water quality standards at the location of its effluent discharge point, to be located in Chandler Bay, which surrounds Jonesport.

“We are pleased the Maine DEP has approved the MEPDES permit, confirming our commitment to uphold the water quality of Chandler Bay,” Kingfish Maine Operations Manager Megan Sorby said. “For two years, we’ve worked very closely with the town of Jonesport and those who use Chandler Bay to address their questions. This is a major milestone for Kingfish Maine and we look forward to our continued work with the community.”

The company already reached a significant milestone in September 2020, when the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands approved the company’s Submerged Lands Lease Application. That approval gave the company permission to install discharge pipes on submerged lands in Chandler Bay.

Kingfish Company CEO Ohad Maiman told SeafoodSource in September that the permitting for the intake and discharge pipes is critical for the operation of a successful land-based RAS.

“While a land-based fish farm requires several standard permits needed for most other commercial operations, it cannot operate without an intake and discharge pipeline, which means that attaining this permit is a critical step in de-risking the permitting process and assuring Kingfish Maine can advance towards construction planning,” he said at the time.

The company first revealed its plans for a land-based RAS in 2019, with the first phase of development aiming for a 6,000 metric ton production capacity.  

Maiman said the company is still aiming to begin construction on schedule. 

“In line with the permitting process timeline, we still aim to break ground by late 2021 or early 2022, pending weather and mobilization schedule," he said. 

Image courtesy of Kingfish Maine