A land-based start-up, Katahdin Salmon, now rebranded as Great Northern Salmon, has received a $5 million grant for cleaning up its proposed recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) plant in Maine. This grant, from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), will help remove pollution from the site of an old paper mill.
Marianne Naess, CEO of Great Northern Salmon, said the new name marks the company’s progress and connection to the local community. The project also received $1 million from the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development.
The non-profit group Our Katahdin, which promotes community and economic development in the Katahdin region, helped secure the EPA grant. The RAS facility will be built on the former site of the Great Northern Paper Company in Millinocket, which was the world’s largest paper mill when it opened in 1900.
The project will be managed by Sevee & Maher Engineering, with contractors expected to start work later this summer. The main tasks include cleaning the lagoon, removing old infrastructure, and handling sludge deposits.
Sean DeWitt, president of Our Katahdin, expressed gratitude for the EPA’s support. He highlighted that this grant will clean up 26 acres of the former mill site’s wastewater lagoon, paving the way for Great Northern Salmon’s aquaculture project. The project, which has already secured major permits, is set to begin construction in 2025.
The federal and state funds lower the overall capital expenditure, enabling construction to start with a fully prepared site, reducing both cost and timeline by about six months. Naess emphasized that the substantial EPA grant reflects the high-quality work of Our Katahdin and the great potential for repurposing the site.
Great Northern Salmon, founded by Marianne Naess and Erik Heim, aims to expand to future locations in North America.
Source-fishfarmermagazine.com
