SUPERIOR COURT UPHOLDS KINGFISH MAINE’S SITE PERMITS

Superior Court Upholds Kingfish Maine’s Site Permits

Maine Superior Court Denies Appeal by Opposition

Kingfish Maine remains a fully permitted project as Maine’s Superior Court has denied the latest appeal by the project’s opposition, the Roque Island Gardner Homestead Corporation and Eastern Maine Conservation Initiative.

The Maine Superior Court has upheld the Maine Board of Environmental Protection’s affirmation of Kingfish Maine’s Site Location of Development Act (SLODA) and Natural Resources Protection Act (NRPA) joint permit.

The SLODA/NRPA permit was issued by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection in 2021 and affirmed, on appeal, by the Maine Board of Environmental Protection in 2022. This was Roque Island’s second appeal denial, on the state level, in their continued attempt to stop the project.

“The opposition from Roque Island continues to be unsuccessful in its appeals of the Kingfish Maine project. This latest appeal denial is a clear victory for Kingfish Maine and more importantly the residents of Jonesport,” said Megan Sorby, Kingfish Maine Operations Manager.

“Kingfish Maine will bring economic development to the Downeast region and that cannot be controlled by Roque Island. We are excited to celebrate this Superior Court victory with the community of Jonesport.”

“We remain focused on the advancement of Kingfish Maine facility,” said Kingfish Company CEO Vincent Erenst. “This ruling by the Superior Court underscores the continued work of our Maine-based team to the success of this project and Kingfish’s commitment to the Jonesport community which has supported our project from its introduction.”

In its appeal, the Petitioners raised issues with what it claimed was the BEP’s “failure to independently assess the project’s impact on wildlife under NRPA.”

In its decision: “While Petitioners ask the court to vacate the Board’s decision upholding both the NRPA and Site Law permit, Petitioners’ challenge is based on the alleged violations of NRPA, and they mount no meaningful challenge to the lawfulness of the Site Law Permit (SLODA).”

The Court concluded: “…the Board did not violate NRPA or otherwise act unreasonably by failing to independently assess the project’s effluent discharges…”

Kingfish Maine is part of the Kingfish Company [Euronext: KING] which currently produces 1,500 tons of high quality, high value Dutch Yellowtail at its Kingfish Zeeland facility in the Netherlands.  Expansion is currently underway and capacity in the Netherlands will reach 3,500 tons in 2023.  Once the Jonesport Maine facility is fully operational, Kingfish Maine is projected to produce 8,500 metric tons of yellowtail.

Source Press Release