Stories of Impact:
Maine Ocean Farms

Business partners Willy Leathers and Eric Oransky started farming oysters in 2017 and founded Maine Ocean Farms, an aquaculture business based out of South Freeport, Maine.

They have long partnered with Island Institute, first in 2017 as participants in our cohort Aquaculture Business Development program, a business support system designed to train and connect aquaculturists with other sea farmers in the industry.

Now several years into running an oyster business, Leathers and Oransky name environmental sustainability as a top priority. As such, they became innovators in the aquaculture industry and are owners of Heron, one of the first fully electric aquaculture vessels in the state.

Maine Ocean Farms launched Heron in July 2025. At 28 feet long, the vessel is powered by Evoy Vita dual 120 horse power electric outboards and can carry 4,000 pounds of oysters and gear. The project was funded, facilitated, and carried out by several organizations and private businesses, including Greater Portland Council of Governments, Maine Technology Institute, U.S. Department of Energy, and Island Institute. Heron was constructed by Fogg’s Boatworks, based in Yarmouth, Maine. Marine charging stations are being implemented by Aqua SuperPower and the Gulf of Maine Research Institute (GMRI), with a charger being installed at GMRI’s Wright’s Wharf.

So far, Maine Ocean Farms is benefitting from reduced fuel use and noise during operations, and they aim to continue electrifying their business to further reduce their carbon footprint.