Millinocket salmon farm project paused due to tariffs ‘roller coaster’

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • August 27, 2026

Great Northern Salmon is pausing its $300 million salmon aquaculture project in Millinocket, citing the economic uncertainty created by the tariffs the Trump administration is imposing on Canadian goods. The plan to build the land-based recirculating aquaculture system at the former Great Northern Paper mill was designed to eventually produce 7,500 metric tons of salmon annually. But CEO Marianne Naess said Thursday that Great Northern Salmon, formerly Katahdin Salmon, can no longer predict the true cost of the project due to the rapidly changing trade policies. The project was expected to create over 100 jobs during construction, and dozens when it was operational. Construction was slated to begin next spring.