Press Releases

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) today announced the Gulf of Maine Research Institute (GMRI) will receive a grant of $749,856 from the Economic Development Administration to fund the Gulf of Maine Blue Innovation Recovery Program, which will help seafood businesses recover from the COVID-19 pandemic through innovation and increasing resilience.

“Maine’s seafood industry is a cornerstone of our state’s economy, but the pandemic upended supply chains across the country. When restaurants were shuttered and trade halted last year, demand for Maine’s world-class seafood slowed. Sadly, many in the seafood sector haven’t seen their business return to pre-pandemic levels yet,” said Pingree. “This investment will ensure GMRI can target the bluetech startups and small seafood businesses who were hurt significantly by the pandemic—helping Maine to build a more resilient blue economy and creating good jobs in the seafood industry. As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, I’m proud to have been an advocate for this funding, which I know will make a difference for this important part of our state’s economy.”

This grant will fund the Gulf of Maine Blue Innovation Recovery program, which will act as a platform for growth and resilience for bluetech startups and small seafood businesses that are facing significant challenges as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the medium to long-term, the project will focus on building a resilient regional economy through the use of a blue innovation corridor with hubs of excellence in Boston and Portland. The Blue Innovation Recovery project will stimulate job creation and capital attraction as the seafood industry innovates and adapts to volatile markets.

Pingree has been a member of the House Appropriations Committee since 2013.

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