Maine Coast Fisheries Trust & Permit Bank

Working to ensure Maine fishermen have the ability to go fishing now and forever. 

MCFA has partnered with The Nature Conservancy and the Island Institue to help protect access for Maine's community-based fleet through the creation of a permit banking program. The goal of this initiative is to keep groundfish permits from leaving the state and bring allocation, and fishing opportunity, back to Maine. 

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Maine has experienced the greatest loss of fishing permits for groundfish in New England. With limited opportunities for many of Maine's boats, permit banking brings businesses stability and opportunity to Maine's groundfish fleet. 

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2017 BY THE NUMBERS

370,000 lbs of fish leased to Maine businesses

15 Maine fishermen worked with MCFA permit bank partners

Over $100,000 saved by Maine fishermen

70 research trips supported by the permit bank