State and city leaders join the fishing community and GMRI staff to celebrate our effort to protect and preserve Union Wharf.
In January, the GMRI community gathered to celebrate the purchase of historic Union Wharf to preserve and protect working waterfront access in Portland Harbor.
“The purchase of the wharf by GMRI guarantees that it will remain working waterfront for future generations, protecting this iconic landmark and preserving its role in our crucial seafood industry,” said Governor Janet Mills, who joined city officials, leaders from the fishing community, and other guests on a chilly winter morning. “I am proud to support this endeavor and thank GMRI and the Poole family for their responsible stewardship.”
The celebration marked the conclusion of a process that began in March 2021, when the Proprietors of Union Wharf, led by fifth generation owners and managers Charlie and Malcolm Poole, began their search to find a new owner for the wharf. After 160 years of ownership, the Poole family sought “a likeminded entity to carry on the tradition of maintaining a working pier and a working waterfront.”
The Poole family selected the GMRI bid, citing our commitment to steward the wharf as the centerpiece of the city’s working waterfront. In the coming years, Union Wharf will support the needs of fishermen and fish processors, our growing aquaculture industry, and other innovators in our marine economy.
“Union Wharf is blessed with a hardworking, innovative, and diverse mix of marine tenants. We look forward to supporting them in the same spirit that the Poole Family has done for 160 years.”
