© 2024 Maine Public | Registered 501(c)(3) EIN: 22-3171529
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Scroll down to see all available streams.

Portland Fish Exchange Renovations Begin

PORTLAND, Maine - Renovation work on the Portland Fish Exchange began this week. The 30-year-old groundfish auction house is undergoing a series of improvements, thanks to a $1 million bond, which was part of last year's $100 million, voter-approved, state bond package.

"This has been a really great - a good Godsend from the state - to provide us with the capital to redo our roof, which is almost twenty years old," says General Manager Bert Jongerden.

Jongerden says that 25 years ago, when the fish exchange was moving 30 million pounds of fish per year, the auction house could have paid for renovations up front. But since the bottom fell out of the Gulf of Maine groundfish industry 10 years ago, the business is only handling about 5 million pounds of fish per year, which he says is enough to stay afloat, but with little left over.

"The very important part about it is, is repairing and upgrading all these pieces of the building here, is the fact that we can keep our fees low and keep our fishermen still fishing," he says.

Aside from the roof, Jongerden says the upgrades include a switch to cost-effective lighting and more energy-efficient windows, which should help the business cut costs.