BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 24, 2025
The ocean is the next battleground for so many projects including large-scale industrial aquaculture, offshore wind, and climate change. Embedded in all these conversations is what we want to produce and how we want to do it in our oceans. What are the impacts from any and all of these proposed projects? Maine likes to create task forces, but rarely does it let science or long-term data reviewed by marine industry experts – meaning those people who make their living on the water, lead its decision making. Take for example the membership of the Blue Economy Task Force. Many of the appointees to the committee make money from industrial-scale aquaculture, whether its building, shipping or equity investment. Protect Maine, however, is a cheerleader for science. If Maine really wants to be a leader and not just an apologist for industrial-scale aquaculture, Protect Maine believes the state needs more science and unbiased participation in mapping the Maine ocean. We should be asking what the inputs from every vantage point are and what the impacts are. ~ Crystal Canney, Protect Maine’s Fishing Heritage Foundation