The last sardine cannery in Maine closed in 2010 but a new company aims to bring fish canning back

MAINE PUBLIC • May 29, 2026

The last large-scale sardine cannery in the state closed in 2010, but Joshua Scherz, co-founder of Maine Canned Fish, aims to package flounder, cod, oysters, and other seafood in attractive tins to offer new marketing opportunities for fishermen up and down the coast. His canning operation is in a Topsham industrial park not far from I-295. Scherz said he hopes it will be up and running by this summer. Maine Canned Fish is one of 12 start-ups in the Dirigo Labs Business Accelerator Program, run by the Central Maine Growth Council in Waterville.