Citing a ‘troubling vacuum in oversight’ animal welfare groups call for new rules to govern fish farms

A petition filed by animal welfare groups seeks to require state officials to more aggressively enforce animal cruelty laws at aquaculture facilities, saying that a “troubling vacuum in oversight exists” at the state level. The lead organization behind the petition is Animal Outlook. Executive Director Cheryl Leahy said the petition calls on the Animal Welfare Program to put in place “basic guardrails” to regulate how fish are treated. Two large-scale fish farms have been approved in Maine in recent years, with Nordic Aquafarms planning to build a land-based salmon farm in Belfast and with Whole Oceans planning to build a similar facility in Bucksport. In Jonesport, Kingfish Maine needs only local planning board approval — after receiving state and federal permits — for a land-based farm to grow yellowtail kingfish. And just recently, American Aquafarms said it plans to reapply for state permits to build an in-water closed net pen system in Frenchman Bay near Bar Harbor with a processing plant in Gouldsboro.