Beal quoted on how recreational, working waterfronts clash in Surry, Maine, shellfish bid
Morgan Bay has not had any working waterfront operations for several decades, Kallin said. In that time, it has developed as a prime vacation rental spot and some residents are worried about a loss of income if the lease is granted. Kallin doesn't believe one aquaculture business venture should outweigh the recreational uses of Morgan Bay.
"You're giving a single individual an exclusive lease over a particular area of a common resource," he said.
But Dr. Brian Beal, a University of Maine Machias biologist who has collaborated with Porada on several experimental leases, believes such fears are overblown. Clam and oyster aquaculture is not as noticeable as lobstering, and Beal said Porada has worked with landowners at other lease sites to assuage concerns.
"A lot of folks are upset because they don't want to see a working waterfront in their backyard," Beal said.