Shellfish Aquaculture: Coastal Communities

Aquaculture Dept: John Demont s report on aquaculture missed a very important point. Most Nova Scotians do support aquaculture and the jobs it could bring to rural communities. Our ventures into shellfish aquaculture and closed containment fin-fish aquaculture are world-class. However, I, like many who live in coastal communities, am very much opposed to the open net-pen form of fin-fish aquaculture because of its proven damage to the marine environment, and the threat it poses to jobs that currently exist in our communities. The Herald online survey should have read: Do you support open-pen salmon farms? not Do you support aquaculture? , according to The Chronicle Herald. Dave Maynard, Spry Bay Not responsible strategy Premier Darrell Dexter and Fisheries Minister Sterling Belliveau have both made it very clear that open-pen salmon farms, in their current form, will be imposed on coastal communities, whether they want them or not. They will not even consider a temporary moratorium on further expansion until present problems are addressed by the industry . Nor will they require the industry to put into place effective pollution containment and removal systems. This is not a responsible aquaculture strategy. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.