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Maine association publishes financial manual for fish producers

The Maine Aquaculture Association (MAA) is offering aquaculture operators a handy tool that will give them information on how to access “everything” from loans and grants to economic development funds and tax incentives.

The MAA represents Maine’s diverse aquaculture sector which includes small, medium and large businesses involved in land-based aquaculture, sea-based fish farms, commercial shellfish, fin fish, and sea vegetable farms. The organization said its Maine Aquaculture Financing Resources Manual, developed by Christian Brayden project manager of MAA  with support from FocusMaine, is an “in-depth summary of all known financing resources available to Maine aquaculture producers.”

FocusMaine is an economic development organization that works to create quality jobs and build a thriving workforce in the state.

The manual is the latest tool in a suite of resources developed by the MAA with significant support from FocusMaine to guide beginning aquatic farmers in developing sustainable business practices, including business plans, production plans, financial benchmarking reports, marketing tools, and a distribution guide.

“We are pleased to deliver this comprehensive resource to the Maine aquaculture community at a time when many small businesses are beginning to develop business plans to scale and sustain their operations,” said Brayden. “It has been wonderful to see the proliferation of so many institutions providing financial backing to these burgeoning Maine family businesses.”

The number of aquaculture jobs in Maine has nearly doubled from 220 in 2017 to 445 in 2022, according to Andrea C. Maker, president and co-chair of FocusMaine.