PRESS RELEASE: Whole Oceans Names New Senior Project Coordinator

PORTLAND, Maine | Corrected Date: May 19, 2020 – Whole Oceans announced today that Michael Thompson has joined the company as Senior Project Coordinator. Whole Oceans will be building a state-of-the-art recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) that will be used to raise Atlantic salmon on the site of the former Verso paper mill in the heart of Bucksport, Maine.

Thompson joins Whole Oceans after a successful 33-year career in consulting, during which he has worked for several prominent consulting firms in the Northeast. For 14 years, he was co-owner of a 75-person environmental consulting company based in Maine. 

At Whole Oceans, Thompson will be responsible for leading the company’s on-site project work including assembling design and construction teams, managing contractors, vendors and consultants, overseeing budgets and timelines, and ensuring that the company is complying with all regulatory commitments. Thompson will also develop and maintain important relationships with stakeholders including the Town of Bucksport, partners, regulatory agencies, elected officials and others as the project moves forward.

Jacob Bartlett, CEO of Whole Oceans said, “Mike has been instrumental in helping our team through the permitting process and working with us as a consultant over the last couple of years. His extensive knowledge and experience made this an easy transition to bring him on full-time to help us continue moving forward with this exciting project.” 

“I am impressed with the work Whole Oceans has done to date, and I am excited to have the opportunity to be part of this pivotal project,” said Thompson. “I know what this enterprise will mean to the Town of Bucksport and the midcoast region, which I call home, as well as to the future of aquaculture in the U.S. and beyond.”

Thompson’s diverse work in the Northeast region, and nationally, has included aquaculture, FERC hydropower relicensing, transportation projects, real estate development, ecological risk assessment, nuclear power plant decommissioning, wind and solar power development, and third-party forest certification. He is a Certified Wildlife Biologist (CWB) and Professional Wetland Scientist (PWS) with a long history of managing large teams of survey, engineering and environmental professionals.

Thompson is also an adjunct faculty member at the University of Maine’s School of Forest Resources. He resides in Camden, in Maine’s midcoast region.

The Whole Oceans team is currently in the pre-construction phase and continues to make progress toward groundbreaking for the Bucksport facility. This phase includes finalizing the details of the design plans and contract negotiations for construction of the project. Whole Oceans is scheduled to break ground on the project this summer, but as with all major construction projects, the current pandemic situation requires careful coordination with construction coordinators as they adjust to new working conditions.

Media Contact: Angie Helton, angie@nemediaassociates.com or 207-653-0365

About Whole Oceans 
Whole Oceans is a Maine-based company poised to become America’s premier producer of sustainably farm-raised Atlantic salmon in state-of-the-art, environmentally responsible, recirculating aquaculture system (RAS). For more information visit www.wholeoceans.com. 

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