PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • October 14, 2020
The Portland Fish Exchange, the city-operated fish auction, is losing about $30,000 a month and is asking another city agency to help bail it out through the middle of next year. The daily auction, where fishermen sell their catch to buyers from seafood wholesalers and processors, has cut losses somewhat over the past few years and has made slight adjustments to cut expenses. But fish landings plummeted this summer, mostly likely the because of disruptions caused by the pandemic, and the losses accelerated. The exchange is turning to the Fish Pier Authority because it normally runs at a surplus of $200,000 to $300,000 a year through leasing parking spaces.