Aquaculture of finfish and shellfish is an essential part of the New England marine economy, and is targeted in states' economic development plans to play a greater role in their future. Pierce Atwood has supported the aquaculture industry since its inception, providing the full range of legal services required by start-up and mature companies in a highly regulated, natural resource-based business sector. Our experience includes handling water rights, egg import licensing, real estate purchasing and leasing, permitting, construction, contracts, government advocacy, and more for our aquaculture clients. The firm's familiarity with the aquaculture sector and its many regulatory and business issues provides an essential advantage for players in the highly competitive aquaculture marketplace.
Representative Experience
Representing company in acquisition of brownfields real estate (site of former paper mill), water rights, fish egg import license, and all necessary land use and environmental permits and submerged land leases for construction and development of large land-based North Atlantic salmon farm on Penobscot Bay.
Pierce Atwood represented Ducktrap River of Maine, a leading producer of smoked salmon and seafood, in its purchase of a 50,000 square-foot property adjacent to its current Belfast location. Ducktrap’s existing 75,000 square-foot production facility is at full capacity. With the initial buildout of its new property, Ducktrap will be able to double its production capacity. Production at its new facility is expected to start in spring 2018.
Assist seafood processing companies with non-disclosure and non-compete agreements, and other general contractual and transactional matters.
We represented the Downeast Institute for Applied Marine Research & Education, a nonprofit in Beals, Maine, with the financing of its $6.7 million expansion, including a $5 million new markets tax credit financing. The expansion will add laboratory, office, housing, storage and conference space, as well as making improvements to the existing hatchery (used to grow soft shell clams and other commercially important bivalves to restock depleted resources).
More