February 16, 2024

Nova Scotia, Canada premier voices opposition against Cooke's salmon farm expansion

Opponents of a Cooke Aquaculture salmon farm expansion in Liverpool Bay, Canada, got a morale boost last week from Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston, who said he is opposed to the controversial project which would triple the number of salmon in the area and add two more fish farm sites.

Houston added the final decision will come from an independent regulator hearing the merits next month.

"There's certainly a lot of people in Liverpool that are concerned about this. I respect their concerns and have heard their concerns," Houston told reporters in Halifax. "While I think there's incredible opportunities for aquaculture in this province, it's my personal opinion that Liverpool Bay is not an appropriate place for that."

Cooke subsidiary Kelly Cove Salmon Ltd. has applied to expand its existing fish farm at Coffin Island, and open two new ones at Brooklyn and Mersey Point in Queens County. If approved, each site would contain 660,000 fish — a 370% increase in the number of farmed salmon in Liverpool Bay. It's the first new salmon farm proposed in Nova Scotia in many years and the first one to come before the quasi-judicial Aquaculture Review Board (ARB) created in 2015 to enhance public confidence in decisions around aquaculture.

Houston was clear the outcome of the Liverpool Bay application is not in his hands.

"The independent board will make their decision. But, for me I just think when you look at ... some are appropriate, some aren't and I just think that would lean more on the not appropriate," he said.

In a statement to CBC News, Cooke spokesperson Claire Ryan said the company has been working with provincial and federal regulators for several years to prepare its application.

"We appreciate that the premier respects the independent Nova Scotia Aquaculture Review Board process that was established by the provincial government, and we look forward to bringing this application forward to the ARB next month," Ryan said.

- CBC