Amid opposition to N.S. salmon farms, minister touts benefits of aquaculture industry

Amid opposition to N.S. salmon farms, minister touts benefits of aquaculture industry

Source: CBC News

1/30/2020

Nova Scotia's Fisheries and Aquaculture minister says his department is taking people's concerns "very seriously" about a multinational salmon farming company's plan to establish operations in the province.

Cermaq Canada is looking at spending $500 million to create up to 20 open-pen salmon farms and land-based support facilities in Nova Scotia.

Some people who work and live in communities nestled along coastal areas Cermaq is eyeing for development have been speaking out and protesting against the plans.

But Keith Colwell said open-pen fish farming is a huge economic driver for communities, bringing a tremendous amount of tax revenue for the province each year — though he couldn't put an exact dollar figure on how much.

"Open pen fish-farms already exist in the province, have for decades, and they will in the future," Colwell told CBC's Information Morning.