Spring has returned to Maine. Goodbye blizzards and slush, hello flower buds and chirping birds.

The arrival of a new season reminds us of the natural beauty we have here and invites us to consider how we are caring for our surroundings. Finfish farming is one of the things we must scrutinize as we think about the future of Maine’s environment.

The practice of industrial finfish farming is controversial in Maine. While it is celebrated for bringing jobs, the profit hardly stays in Maine, since many of these companies are large national or international corporations with no long-term interest in the health and sustainability of Maine’s fishing economy.

Finfish farming involves fish like salmon or yellowtail, tightly packed into nets and cages, raised for consumption in the cheapest way possible. Untreated fish waste, excess feed, and antibiotics and pesticides leach directly into the water, affecting both the water quality itself and nearby marine creatures; present in the environment, these chemicals can find their way into our own food and drinking water, threatening public health as well.

If we want to enjoy spring and experience Maine for years to come as we’ve been so fortunate to have done, we must prevent these corporations from coming in and disturbing our local fishing economy and natural landscape.

Any action helps, regardless of scale: people can patronize restaurants and markets that serve local seafood, do research and stay informed, and perhaps even contact their local officials and state representatives to make their voices heard.

Sarah Chang, Lewiston