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Belfast parcel that was rejected for aquaculture site will become conservation land

An aeriali view of woods and water with a yellow line drawn around a portion. FILE PHOTO / COURTESY PORTA & CO. Penobscot Bay Waterkeeper bought 285 Northport Ave. from Nordic Aquafarms Inc. for $1.5 million. The property was listed with Porta & Co.
By Laurie Schreiber

A conservation organization closed on the purchase of a 53.9-acre site in Belfast that was previously intended for the development of a land-based aquaculture farm.

Penobscot Bay Waterkeeper, formerly known as Upstream Watch, bought 285 Northport Ave. from Nordic Aquafarms Inc. for $1.5 million.

Tim Millett and Joe Porta of Porta & Co. and Ben Spencer at Core Firms brokered the deal.

The site includes 6,000 square feet of former Belfast Water District buildings.

Nordic Aquafarms had previously received permits for up to 807,254 square feet of industrial space.

Situated along Little River and abutting Little River Trail, the land was the original location of the Belfast Water District and includes two garages and a brick building. The asking price was $2 million.

Aquaculture controversy

Nordic Aquafarms Inc., a subsidiary of Norway’s Nordic Aquafarms Group AS, brought the proposal for a land-based salmon farm in Belfast in 2018.

The plan generated considerable controversy among abutters and conservation groups. Earlier this year, Nordic abandoned its proposal and listed the property for sale. In April, Upstream Watch, now called Penobscot Bay Waterkeeper, entered into a contract to purchase the parcel.

Little River has a public walking trail, swimming holes, wetlands, forest and meadowlands and access to Penobscot Bay.  

A river has trees and rocks along its banks.
Photo / Courtesy Tim Trumbauer
Little River has a public walking trail, swimming holes, wetlands, forest and meadowlands and access to Penobscot Bay.  

The nonprofit was formed to evaluate the Nordic project and to protect the Little River and Penobscot Bay.

“This land along the Little River offers unique recreational opportunities and the forest and wetlands are critical to the health of the Little River, Penobscot Bay, the climate and wildlife,” Jonathan Fulford, vice president of Penobscot Bay Waterkeeper, said in a recent news release. 

Future plans

With the property now under Penobscot Bay Waterkeeper ownership, planning will begin for the future of the land and buildings on the site, said Pete Nichols, the organization’s executive director.

“Our plans for the conservation of the land are fairly simple: we are going to prioritize natural and ecological resiliency,” Nichols said. 

The organization will assess the buildings on the site and will initially utilize one of the buildings for its office space and a community meeting space, he said.

“In the new year, we will be developing a vision for the building site that is focused on the ecology of the Penobscot Bay, the Little River and the watershed,” Nichols said. “We hope to work with many groups from the region and beyond to create a vision that focuses on wild lands, clean water and biodiversity, while educating visitors on the value of natural, wild places, particularly those in close proximity to municipalities.”

The Little River of Belfast and Northport is the only contiguous greenbelt and waterway from Belfast to the Penobscot Bay, according to the group. It has five miles of public hiking trails that hug the river’s shoreline and weave between white pines and hemlocks.

The purchase price was raised mainly through donations, including an anonymous donor who provided a $40,000 matching challenge, Nichols said.

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