Cooke USA

05/25/2026

Today is , a day in which we remember and honor those who died in service. Thank you to all those who served our country🇺🇸

05/11/2026

Thank you to Rockland-based Island Institute for visiting our Atlantic operations, touring our Gardner Lake hatchery in East Machias followed by our South Bay farm site in Cobscook Bay.

The Island Institute's mission is to boldly navigate climate and economic change with island and coastal communities to expand opportunities and deliver solutions. As a major employer in Washington County and a key contributor to Downeast Maine's working waterfront and seafood economy, building stronger, more resilient island and coastal communities is at the heart of what we do.🌊

Maine Aquaculture Association

05/04/2026

04/28/2026

In Washington County, we have facilities in , Machiasport and East Machias.

With approximately 225 employees throughout , we are one of the region's largest employers. Our employees are fixtures of their communities, as municipal officials, taxpayers, parents of schoolchildren and volunteers. Along with commercial fishermen, they're the backbone of Downeast Maine's working waterfront and seafood economy.🌊

City of Eastport

04/28/2026

Jessica, Jaelyn and Greg with Cooke USA take a break from their day-to-day responsibilities on our Atlantic farms to pick up debris from three beaches (Bailey's Mistake, Sand Bar and Mowry), with more beach clean-ups to come in recognition of on April 22. Jessica also took part in the Cobscook Institute's recent roadside clean-up in Lubec. If there's a beach in Washington County that's in need of a clean-up, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at Cooke USA. Being a good steward of the environment is part of being a good neighbor.

Lubec Community Bulletin Board
What's Happening Washington County, Maine

04/22/2026

04/20/2026

Happy National Volunteer Week!

Happy National Volunteer Week!

As a global company, we’re proud to support our communities in meaningful ways across the world. Whether it’s beach cleanups, food drives, or fundraising walks, our teams are stepping up to help make a difference. By donating our time, resources, and energy, we’re helping to build stronger, more resilient communities, together. 🤝

How do you in your area? Let us know in the comments below⬇️

04/16/2026

Congratulations to the U.S. Department of Agriculture on announcing the establishment of a new Office of Seafood! It's an important step toward enhancing the role of seafood production and strong working waterfronts in the U.S. 🐟🇺🇸

As demand for healthy, high‑quality protein continues to grow, it’s important to recognize the aquaculture farmers, harvesters, processors and distributors who bring responsibly produced seafood to American families daily.

We appreciate the USDA’s and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)’s continued support for our people and their families - those working on farms, vessels, and along coastal communities whose efforts strengthen local economies.

💻 Learn more at https://www.usda.gov/seafood

U.S. Department of Commerce
Maine Aquaculture
Maine Aquaculture Association
Maine Department of Marine Resources
Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

04/15/2026

‼️ Introducing the new logo for the Eastport Salmon & Seafood Festival ‼️

As a family-owned company that farms Atlantic in the cold, clean waters of the Gulf of , we are once again proud to be the main sponsor of the 38th Annual Salmon & Seafood Festival on Labor Day weekend from Sept. 5 to 6, 2026. The festival is the chamber's biggest annual fundraiser and one of Washington's County's biggest annual events. Last year, the festival included a ticketed salmon dinner, salmon farm site boat tour, and an oyster-shucking workshop with Three Islands Oysters.

This year, the chamber is seeking more seafood businesses to exhibit at the festival. To exhibit, please visit https://www.eastportchamber.net/vendorapplication.

Questions? Please contact Jeanne Peacock with the Eastport Area Chamber of Commerce at [email protected] or Steven Hedlund with Cooke USA at [email protected].

We hope to see you in Eastport on Sept. 5 and 6!🎉

What's Happening in Washington County
City of Eastport

04/09/2026

In 2024, we proudly celebrated 20 years of aquaculture operations in , two decades of strengthening the state’s salmon farming industry and supporting the working waterfronts our employees live in, care for, and depend on.

Our impact goes beyond employment. Across Maine, we work closely with local businesses and partners, knowing that collaboration is key to a thriving aquaculture industry. Together, we’re building stronger connections, healthier coastal communities, and a more resilient economy.

Photo: Cooke USA employees Jaelyn Matthews and Alex Johndro at the Cross Island salmon farm in Machias Bay, Maine.

Maine Aquaculture
Maine Aquaculture Association

04/07/2026

Thank you to the Maine International Trade Center (MITC) for selecting Washington County for its 2026 Sector Spotlight. As a proud sponsor, the three-day tour included visits to our Maine Atlantic salmon aquaculture operations such as Garnder Lake hatchery, Eastport facility, and South Bay farm site in Cobscook Bay, in addition to Downeast Institute and a reception at West Branch Farms Machias in Machiasport. In addition to MITC, the tour featured business and community leaders from the Maine State Department of Economic and Community Development, FAME Maine, Maine Manufacturing Extension Partnership, University of Maine, Gulf of Maine Research Institute, and others.

Although we're from different parts of Maine, we all share one thing in common, an appreciation for economic development and the jobs and opportunities that come along with it as well as a respect for the working waterfront, especially the people in and that are the backbone of the rural, coastal communities that make Washington County special.

Maine Aquaculture Association
City of Eastport
Town of Machiasport
Town of East Machias