Andrew and Samantha Peters, founders of Vertical Bay, have been experimenting with Japanese scallop farming techniques in Maine’s Penobscot Bay for the past seven years. Their vertically netted, four-acre farm off Deer Isle has met strong demand, allowing them to sell locally since 2021 and expand out-of-state in 2024. Despite this, high costs and slow growth cycles have made profitability difficult. They are now seeking a 41.2-acre, 20-year aquaculture lease—the largest proposed scallop farm in Maine—to determine if scallop farming can support sustainable small businesses. Approval would make it one of Maine’s largest shellfish operations.