Portland Fish Pier Authority — Portland, ME
Date: 2026-03-12
Time: 15:30

PORTLAND FISH PIER AUTHORITY
 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
 March 12, 2026, 3:30 PM
 Portland Fish Exchange Subcommittee Meeting
 Remote via Zoom

Please use the meeting information below to join the meeting:
https://portlandmaine-gov.zoom.us/j/85002579581?pwd=xoZRFcApOL32aVHvrrGyZ2im00tzsT.1

To submit written public comment on an Agenda item, please send an email to edd@portlandmaine.gov.
Submissions must be received by 12:00 p.m. the day before the Portland Fish Exchange Subcommittee meeting
to guarantee their inclusion in the Agenda packet.

1. Committee Chair Comments

2. Approval of January 8, 2026 Meeting Minutes

 a. See attached minutes from January 8, 2026
 Action Item - Public Comment
3. Portland Fish Exchange Manager's Report

 a. Fish Exchange Manager's Report
 b. Expense/revenue items deviating from the budget
 c. Available space in the coolers.
 d. Discussion and clarification on lumping.
 Review of multi-tiered fee system with possible vote to recommend to the Portland
4.
 Fish Pier Authority.

 Discussion on funding opportunity for Portland Fish Exchange through SEA Maine
5.
 funding.

6. Old Business

 a. Public relations/Social Media
 b. Website Maintenance/Marketing the Exchange
 c. Student Internship
7. Other items not on the agenda.

8. Next Meeting: April 9, 2026

9. Adjournment

PORTLAND FISH PIER AUTHORITY
 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
 March 12, 2026, 3:30 PM
 Portland Fish Exchange Subcommittee Meeting
 Remote via Zoom

Please use the meeting information below to join the meeting:
https://portlandmaine-gov.zoom.us/j/85002579581?pwd=xoZRFcApOL32aVHvrrGyZ2im00tzsT.1

To submit written public comment on an Agenda item, please send an email to edd@portlandmaine.gov.
Submissions must be received by 12:00 p.m. the day before the Portland Fish Exchange Subcommittee meeting
to guarantee their inclusion in the Agenda packet.

1. Committee Chair Comments

2. Approval of January 8, 2026 Meeting Minutes

 a. See attached minutes from January 8, 2026
 Action Item - Public Comment
3. Portland Fish Exchange Manager's Report

 a. Fish Exchange Manager's Report
 b. Expense/revenue items deviating from the budget
 c. Available space in the coolers.
 d. Discussion and clarification on lumping.
 Review of multi-tiered fee system with possible vote to recommend to the Portland
4.
 Fish Pier Authority.

 Discussion on funding opportunity for Portland Fish Exchange through SEA Maine
5.
 funding.

6. Old Business

 a. Public relations/Social Media
 b. Website Maintenance/Marketing the Exchange
 c. Student Internship
7. Other items not on the agenda.

8. Next Meeting: April 9, 2026

9. Adjournment


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 Draft Meeting Minutes
 Portland Fish Pier Authority - Portland Fish Exchange Subcommittee
 January 8, 2026
 3:30 PM

Subcommittee Member Attendees: John Arnold, Mary Hudson, Meredith Mendelson, Tracy
Perce, and Rob Odlin (joined by phone).

Staff present: Diane Albert, Kaela Gonzalez, Heather Moretti, Avery Novak, Robert Vanmeter

Approximately two (2) members of the public attended.

1. Committee Chair Comments: Committee Chair Pearce opened the meeting and welcomed
the new City of Portland Waterfront Coordinator, Heather Moretti, and asked the subcommittee
to briefly introduce themselves.
​
2. Approval of December 11, 2025 Meeting Minutes

Motion to approve Meeting Minutes for December 11, 2025, with the amendment to
correct the net yard usage fee rule: non-fleet members must start paying the $50/day fee
after 48 hours, not immediately.
Hudson, 2nd Mendelson

Approved by consensus (Odlin not present at time of vote)

3. Portland Fish Exchange Manager’s Report
​ Robert Vanmeter presented the manager’s report verbally. Highlights are as follows:
 ●​ 8 Auctions in December
 ●​ 142,000 landed (budgeted 200,000)
 ●​ No contract unloads (budgeted 0)
 ●​ 720,000 in pumping YTD (budgeted 1.2M)
 ●​ Current receivables are $206,000
 ●​ Checkbooks are at $94,000
 ●​ Checkbook average $45,000 - $50,000
 ●​ LOC and Cash reserve are available in full

​ Vanmeter also provided a more detailed account of the December Auction Sales,
breaking down how the 142,176 pounds of fish were sold through the auction, were scratched,
returned, or retained for sale on the following day. Monthly expenses to note include a new
server, two computers, and a replacement battery backup for the fire alarm system. The fee
income is a bundled line item that includes: buyer application fees, pumping fees, sales of
totes/pallets, warehousing, cold storage, net yard usage fee, warehousing transfer fees,
weighting fees, unloading, and re-ing.




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4. Review of multi-tiered fee system with possible vote to recommend to the Portland
Fish Pier Authority.
 Topic tabled for a future meeting.

5. Old Business
​ Vanmeter is working with the University of Southern Maine to hire an intern who will help
with social media and possibly the website from May through the Fall.
​
6. Other items not on the agenda.
​ Hudson invited the committee members to the Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association's
20th birthday celebration on Thursday, January 15, 2026.
​ Vanmeter confirmed the Exchange’s operational limit is 40,000 pounds per auction day
(max 45,000 lbs). The previous high volume of 60,000 lbs during Thanksgiving week was due to
under-hailing by several boats, forcing the Exchange to manage an excessive load. Vanmeter
confirmed they are now taking a "much firmer stance" on cutting off boats to manage the
volume.
 Rob Odlin (joined the meeting at approximately 4:07 p.m.) suggested implementing a
formal scenario for large catches (e.g., 40,000 lbs) that bypasses the traditional auction. The
process would involve fish going directly into insulated vats provided by the buyer, utilizing a
small team of PFE staff (hoist, forklift, icing), and taking place outside of auction hours. Odlin
suggested setting a fee (e.g., 10 cents per pound) that ensures PFE profitability while being
competitive for contract sales.
 Vanmeter confirmed that non-auction, contract offloading is already in place with tiered
pricing and service options:
 ●​ Hoisted and loaded onto a truck for $30 per vat.
 ●​ PFE unloads the fish into vats and does not grade it for 10 cents per pound, plus a set
 lumper fee.
 ●​ PFE unloads, grades, and puts the fish into totes for 20 cents per pound, plus a set
 lumper fee.
 ●​ For large offloads, Robert stated that the best practice is for the buyer to supply their
 own vats to avoid PFE's cost and logistical predicament.
​ Vanmeter confirmed that employees do get paid for lumping outside of normal pay from
the Exchange, but this is paid by the boat.
​ Following a brief discussion on the Exchange Rules and Regulations not clearly stating
that the manager has the authority to approve new buyers, though it has been an informal past
practice for quite some time.

Motion to recommend to the Portland Fish Pier Authority Board that the rules and
regulations for the Portland Fish Exchange be amended to allow the manager to
temporarily approve a new buyer, provided the buyer has completed the full application
process, including providing a line of credit.
Mendelson, 2nd Arnold

Approved by consensus.




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​ The Exchange Manager will be asked to prepare a formal proposal to present to the
board for discussion.

7. Next Meeting: February 12, 2026

9. Adjournment:
​ Motion to adjourn
​ Arnold, 2nd Hudsoni
​ Approved by consensus

The meeting adjourned at approximately 4:53 p.m.




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 PORTLAND FISH EXCHANGE

 Management/Financial Report for February, 2026

GF Landings – Auction Actual Budgeted Variance
February 2026 – 8 205K 175K 30K

GF Landings – Auction Actual Budgeted Variance
February 2025 - 7 83K 225K (142K)

Contract Unloads - GF Actual Budgeted Variance
February 2026 0 0 0

Total GF Land/Unloads Actual Budgeted Variance
February 2026 205K 175K 30K

Pumping Actual Budgeted Variance
2026 YTD 650K 1.2M (480K)

Financial Report Net Income Budgeted Variance
February 2026 $4670 ($17,855) $22,525



Financial Notes

 • $70K of $250K LOC currently in use.
 • $30K was repaid on 3-9-26 taking it from $100K to 70K owed

 • $50K Cash Reserve currently in use

 • Current receivables are $134K consisting of rent, buyer fees, berthing, net yard use, bait storage,
 barrel storage & warehousing

 • Current checkbook is at $110K before payments to vendors, fleet, and payroll

 • High checking balance for the month was $105K, a low of $41k, and an average of $55k.

 • Fiscal 2027 Budget was completed and submitted to the city on Feb 27 for review




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February Auction Sales

 • Of the 204,480 pounds landed at the Exchange for the month of February, 110,800 pounds were
 sold during the normal bidding process to one of our Exchange buyers - seat holders.

 • 70,024 pounds were scratched or not bid on, but still sold through the auction.

 • 23,656 pounds were refused by the seller to be sold on the Exchange auction platform. All scratch
 and or no bid fees are applied and the fish is given back to the seller to do with as they will. As
 stated in the Exchange rules and regulations, ‘Refused or No Bid fish remains the property of the
 seller and may be removed or left for the next auction.’

 • Zero pounds were left on the floor for the next auction.

Operations Notes

 • Nothing to report

Monthly Payments of Note

 • Nothing to report

Facility Report

 • New condenser and compressors running well – no issues.
 • New control system installation is under way with electricians currently running conduits and
 wiring for new unit.

Staff Report

 • We had one part time employee leave and another start who is currently in their 30-day trial
 period. The young man picks things up quickly, is a hard worker, and liked by the crew.

New/Returning Vessels

 • Nothing to report

New / Returning Buyers

 • Nothing to report




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