Press release: Nordic fish factory gutted...thank you, DEP!

[Thursday, March 20, 2025. Belfast, Maine] Late yesterday afternoon, March 19th, Melanie Loyzim, Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) rescinded all of Nordic Aquafarms, Inc. state permits. Commissioner Loyzim summed up her decision this way: "I hereby rescind all Site Law portions of Nordic's Site Law/NRPA Permit...the Air License...and MEPDES Permit #ME0002771/W009200-6F-A-N"

In her statement of the facts supporting her decision, the Commissioner said DEP found that: "No construction, development, or operations authorized by the above captioned licenses has occurred. Nordic does not anticipate that any such will occur on a timeline consistent with the terms and requirements of those licenses." 

The Friends of Harriet L. Hartley Conservation Area (HLH) thanks Commissioner Loyzim for her decision. It removes any possibility of Nordic Aquafarms resurrecting its fish factory project, ending the company's 6-year campaign to acquire the intertidal lands of a private citizen for commercial purposes. The DEP decision removes the legal "clouds" on the bayside property of homeowners Jeffrey Mabee and Judith Grace, who granted HLH the conservation easement we hold as they defended their property rights against Nordic's assault. 

We are deeply grateful for the aid and comfort hundreds of HLH supporters contributed to our defense of Jeffrey and Judith's property! It is only through the contributions of time, energy, and money that we have persevered in our fight to enforce property law and defend the constitutionally-protected property rights of private citizens. 

Again: thank you, Commissioner Loyzim, for upholding the rule of law.

For more information, contact:

Andrew Stevenson, Press Relations

Friends of Harriet L. Hartley Conservation Area

703-407-2968