It has been expected since October, when the Jonesport Planning Board gave its initial approval to The Kingfish Company's local building permit in Maine, United States, but it was only this week that the permit conditions were formally approved and adopted at a final meeting. Now yes, all permits are in place for Kingfish Maine, which means it has approval from local, state and federal regulatory agencies.
The completion of the permit application by the City of Jonesport, Maine, was the final step necessary for the pre-construction design and engineering of the company's new facility on U.S. soil. Kingfish Maine is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Kingfish Company and, according to the stock exchange announcement, it will deploy the same advanced technology and operational excellence proven in the Netherlands.
"From the introduction of our project to the town three years ago to the final building permit approval this week, we have received overwhelming support from Jonesport residents", said Ohad Maiman, founder of The Kingfish Company. "We are excited for what the future holds in Maine – bringing our sustainable land-based technology to the U.S., in a community where we can partner for growth", he added.
The Kingfish Company's announcement also notes that, once the Jonesport facility is fully operational, Kingfish Maine will be the largest producer of yellowtail kingfish in the U.S. and will provide local sustainable seafood for North American retailers and food service providers. According to Maiman's statement a month ago when Jonesport gave its initial approval of the local building permit, the company hopes to replicate its EU success in the U.S. with local production of high-value yellowtail.
In October, The Kingfish Company reported that its sales had grown by 90%. A month ago, it announced that its Phase 2 expansion project in the Netherlands was fully funded. Shortly thereafter, we learned about founder Ohad Maiman's decision to step aside as CEO. In a subsequent interview with WeAreAquaculture, the company's now ex-CEO told us that he would never have left if there was any kind of problem. "I wouldn't step aside when there is a funding need or if there's challenges in production, or challenges even in the permit", he said.