BELFAST, Maine — A Mainer will take the helm of Nordic Aquafarms, not less than in the meanwhile, after longtime firm leaders Erik Heim and Marianne Naess final week introduced they had been leaving the Norwegian-owned enterprise.
Brenda Chandler of Auburn, who has served as Nordic’s chief monetary officer for the previous three and a half years, has been appointed interim chief govt officer. The Maine native, who has household roots in Belfast and Jonesport, will break up her time between the Nordic company workplace in Portland and Humboldt, California.
The corporate is working towards constructing land-based salmon farms in Belfast and in Samoa, California. The Belfast farm, which has acquired all its state, native and federal permits, is within the design stage now, the corporate stated in a press launch issued Tuesday afternoon.
If constructed as permitted, the $500 million fish farm can be one of many largest on this planet.
Heim, who based Nordic eight years in the past, is a pioneer of the recirculating aquaculture system business. The twin American-Norwegian citizen and Naess, who’re married, moved from Norway to Maine to move up the American operations. They’ve served as the general public face for the controversial land-based salmon farm venture in Belfast since saying plans for it in January 2018. Over the weekend, Heim wrote on LinkedIn that he and Naess have ended their time with Nordic. It was not instantly clear why the 2 had been leaving.
“I’m assured that we’re solely in early beginnings so far as the potential for aquaculture within the US. However there are additionally challenges to handle and far work left to make {that a} actuality. Subsequently, my dedication to furthering meals safety and business enablement within the US will proceed,” Heim stated. “Summer season trip is now on the menu after 4 years of laborious work within the US. After that, it’s time for brand new challenges.”
Bernt Olav Rottingsnes, the Norway-based chief govt officer and chairman of the board for dad or mum firm Nordic Aquafarms Group AS, advised Undercurrent Information that the corporate is transferring ahead with its American initiatives. Nordic additionally has operations in Norway and Denmark.
“Nordic Aquafarms goals to be a number one participant in sustainable land-based aquaculture, and we’re totally dedicated to the 2 initiatives within the U.S.,” Rottingsnes stated. “Any change in US management won’t change our dedication.”
Opponents of the Belfast fish farm additionally stay dedicated to attempting to maintain the venture from being constructed. Sid Block, the president of Buddies of Harriet L. Hartley Conservation Space, stated over the weekend that his group isn’t “celebrating but.”
“I’m not in any respect reassured by the departure of Eric Heim and Marianne Naess from Nordic Aquafarms and their plans to construct an enormous land-based fish manufacturing facility that might be an environmental and financial catastrophe for midcoast Maine,” Block stated. “[The] plant would undermine Maine’s dedication to cut back its carbon footprint and mitigate the results of local weather change. I’ll solely be reassured when this international funding agency ceases all its actions in Maine.”
The venture has native assist, too. Anne Saggese of The Fish Are Okay stated that whereas she was sorry to listen to that Heim and Naess are transferring on, she believes they did good work in Belfast.
“Their experience is in creating new initiatives and so they’ve already completed that right here,” she stated, including that the native group they put collectively, together with Chandler, remains to be in place. “All the abilities we want for Belfast are nonetheless right here, and I sit up for the groundbreaking.”
