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For six years, Nordic Aquafarms has been striving to construct a land-based salmon recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) in Belfast, Maine, USA, reaffirming its commitment to the location despite ongoing challenges. Originally announced in January 2018, the project aimed to have a fully operational 33,000-metric-ton (MT) facility by 2020. However, as of 2024, ground has yet to be broken due to legal hurdles prompting the company to request permit deadline extensions from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection.
Nordic Aquafarms CEO Brenda Chandler acknowledged the obstacles but expressed determination to proceed with the Belfast facility. Exploring alternatives to mitigate environmental impacts while preserving economic value for the city, the company is considering footprint reduction, water use reassessment, and energy consumption reduction.
A significant impediment faced by Nordic Aquafarms is the lack of access to land for constructing inflow and outflow pipes. A legal setback resulted from a Maine Supreme Judicial Court ruling that the land access Nordic Aquafarms purchased was not owned by the sellers, complicating the eminent domain process initiated by the City of Belfast to secure the land.
Meanwhile, Upstream Watch, a local nonprofit opposed to the project, reached a settlement with the city aiming to protect the area around Little River, which is part of Nordic Aquafarms' proposed site. The settlement proposes a nonprofit takeover of dam maintenance responsibilities, relieving the city of potential costs, and the purchase of Nordic Aquafarms' land to create a park.
Despite criticism and proposed settlements, Nordic Aquafarms remains committed to Belfast. The company has engaged with the local community through coffee sessions and has taken steps to preserve the Little River area. Chandler expressed gratitude for the ongoing support from the community amidst the project's challenges.
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