Shell Oyster in the market at street food.
Adobe Stock
The Merrymeeting Shellfish Company has purchased Running Tide's oyster hatchery located at Mitchell Field in Harpswell, Maine. Also, Merrymeeting Shellfish has entered into a new lease with the Town of Harpswell with an effective date of February 1.
The town of Harpswell, as part of the town’s Marine Business District, owns the hatchery building and the land on which it is located. According to a statement published by the company, the new lease retains the public’s right to walk along the waterfront.
The lease is for a five‐year term with the option for three five‐year renewals and Merrymeeting Shellfish will be able to install a sewage disposal system meeting state requirements. Finally, it has the option to acquire additional land at Mitchell Field in the "lower meadow" or Parcel B behind the hatchery building.
Select Board Chair Kevin Johnson said: "The Town is very pleased to have a tenant such as Merrymeeting Shellfish, under the direction of Matt Nixon, take over operations at the site used by Running Tide. Both companies fit the vision established by the Town for marine business at Mitchell Field. The Town looks forward to Merrymeeting Shellfish having a successful operation and building on what Running Tide started."
