Tag Archives: Gov. Paul LePage
Norwegian company to build large, land-based salmon farm in Belfast
A Norway company intends to build a land-based salmon farm in Belfast, initially investing $150 million and creating 60 jobs within two years. Nordic Aquafarms, an international developer of land-based aquaculture, has signed agreements to purchase 40 acres on the outskirts of Belfast, where it will build one of the world’s largest land-based salmon farms, according to a release from the city.,,, It chose Maine because of the state’s pristine environment, cold water conditions,,, >click here to read< 13:06
Maine wants U.S. help to prevent lobster trade gap with Canada
As a trade deal between the European Union and Canada nears completion, politicians in Maine want the federal government to find a way to prevent the U.S. from landing in a major trade disadvantage over a valuable, and tasty, resource — lobsters. The Canada-European Union deal would get rid of tariffs on Canadian lobster exports to the 28-nation bloc. That would give Canada a huge advantage over the United States in sending some coveted seafood products overseas. EU nations imported more than $150 million in lobster from America last year, and took more than $190 million Canadian (US$143 million) from Canada. The combination of a strong U.S. dollar and tariffs would make it hard to compete with Canada, American lobster exporters said. continue reading the story here 20:57
Lobstermen cheered! LePage removes lobster fee increase from proposed budget
Lobstermen cheered Saturday when Gov. Paul LePage announced at the Maine Fishermen’s Forum that he was pulling an increase in the lobster fishing license fee out of his proposed state budget. The extra money was going to be used to fund new lobster research, new technology for state fisheries researchers and raises for Maine Marine Patrol officers, among other things.,, Under the proposed fee increases, a lobsterman with two deckhands would have paid $114 more a year for his license, bringing the cost of securing a license to more than $1,000 for the first time. Read the story here 16:47
Maine lobstermen oppose increase in cost of commercial fishing licenses
A proposal to increase the cost of commercial fishing licenses to fund scientific research in a lean budget year is drawing fire from Maine lobstermen. Julie Eaton, a 30-year lobster boat captain from Deer Isle, told a legislative panel at the State House on Friday that a 30 percent increase in lobster license fees would be too much on top of all the other costs of doing business, ranging from $125 to replace lost traps to $185 for monthly oil changes to bait bills that have doubled in the last year alone. The Maine Department of Marine Resources is seeking to increase lobster license fees about 30 percent, which would generate roughly $600,000 in new revenues. That money would be used to expand state lobster research and protect other department units, like the Maine Marine Patrol, despite budget cuts ordered by Gov. Paul LePage to offset the anticipated effect of a new minimum wage law and state school spending initiative. Continue reading the article here 09:24
It’s time Gov. Paul LePage released bonds Maine’s working waterfronts depend on
In 2010 and 2012, Maine voters approved $14.25 million in bonds to support multiple conservation priorities, including the privilege of fishing communities to pass on critical working waterfront access sites to the next generation of commercial fishermen. We encourage Gov. Paul LePage, who supports many of Maine’s vital natural resource and economic development programs, to authorize the sale of voter-approved bonds to fund projects already approved by the Land for Maine’s Future Program to move working waterfront preservation forward. Read the rest here 11:56
Drilling group unlikely to tap Gulf of Maine for oil and gas
A coalition of U.S. governors pushing for more offshore oil and gas drilling turned heads in Maine last month when it announced that Gov. Paul LePage had become a member. But LePage’s participation doesn’t foreshadow oil rigs off the Maine coast – the latest federal research suggests that the Gulf of Maine lacks the right geology to hold commercial deposits of oil or natural gas. Read the rest here 08:42
Getting HOT! Passamaquoddies say governor made threats over elvers – to shut down the entire fishery, allegedly threatened to call in the National Guard!
Gov. Paul LePage threatened retaliation against Maine’s Passamaquoddy Tribe if it continues to issue elver-fishing licenses beyond the authorized state limit, a tribal council spokesman said Monday. continued
