BLUE HILL --– As part of the ongoing lecture series at the Marine Environmental Research Institute (MERI), representatives of the Conservation Law Foundation will give a presentation on the impacts of salmon aquaculture and the future of the Maine coast. The talk, by CLF Maine Advocacy Center Director Peter Shelley and Staff Attorney Roger Fleming, will take place on Friday, September 26th, at the MERI Center for Marine Studies in Blue Hill. The presentation will begin at 7:00 PM, and will be followed by an open house reception for the speakers.

“MERI is pleased to welcome both Peter Shelley and Roger Fleming to discuss the Conservation Law Foundation’s viewpoint on the implications of salmon aquaculture for our community,” says Dr. Susan D. Shaw, Director and Founder of MERI.

According to the Conservation Law Foundation (CLF), Maine’s coastal resources are in peril. Increasing population pressures and intensifying activities on the state’s public coastal waters are testing the limits of existing policies. The demands of the growing aquaculture industry often conflict with the needs of coastal communities. CLF contends that is time to institute forward-looking programs based on strategic planning approaches to insure that Maine’s precious public trust resources are healthy, bio-diverse, and available for sustainable economic activities for generations to come.

The Conservation Law Foundation’s mission is to solve the environmental problems that threaten the people, natural resources and communities of New England. The Foundation’s advocates use law, economics and science to design and implement strategies that conserve natural resources, protect public health, and promote vital communities in this region. Founded in 1966, CLF is a nonprofit, member-supported organization. It has offices in Rockland, Maine; Boston, Massachusetts; Providence, Rhode Island; Montpelier, Vermont; and Concord, New Hampshire.