Protect Maine urges local aquaculture moratorium; representatives and former DMR official debate scope

Representatives of the group Protect Maine asked Stonington selectmen to consider a local moratorium on aquaculture leases, describing concern about the pace and scale of lease applications.

At the May meeting, Mark Gallaher and others described the group's view that a moratorium would give towns time to update local ordinances and protect intertidal and harbor uses. Jon Lewis, a former head of DMR aquaculture, and Rep. Genevieve McDonald both addressed the board; Lewis warned of regulatory nuances and McDonald offered procedural clarification as a member of the legislature's Marine Resources committee.

Town Manager Billings said she had sent materials to municipal legal counsel and to MMA legal for guidance on how far the town could regulate lease activity in state waters. The selectmen tabled immediate action and asked for legal advice before deciding on local regulatory steps.

What happens next: The town will await legal guidance and may schedule public hearings if attorneys advise that a local moratorium or ordinance is feasible under state law.