A local environmental group is gearing up to fight a proposed fish farm expansion in Liverpool.
Protect Liverpool Bay was recently granted intervenor status to appear at the Nova Scotia Aquaculture Review Board hearing into Kelly Cove Salmon’s proposed plan to expand their operation in Liverpool Bay.
Representatives from Acadia First Nations, Brooklyn Marina, 23 Fishermen of Liverpool Bay and the Region of Queens Municipality were also granted intervenor status in the hearing set to begin Feb 05, 2024.
The aquaculture board denied requests to intervene from several residents along with the South Queens Chamber of Commerce and the Ecology Action Centre.
Brian Muldoon, President of the Protect Liverpool Bay Association, argues the pens are too large and the water too shallow to safely operate a fish farm in this location. He says it’s not a question of if, but when, the farmed salmon will escape into the wild.
“I witnessed from Hurricane Lee three weeks ago, four weeks ago, whatever, that the nets were ripped apart here,” said Muldoon. “The actual feeding barge got ripped right off all the feeding lines and moved. Those fish weren't even being fed for days.”
Muldoon says there is overwhelming opposition to the existing fish farm and the community has made it clear they do not want to see it expanded.
“You get the lobster fishermen, you get the Acadia First Nations who are saying no, you get Queens County who say no, we don't want you, you get the Marina for navigational and recreational boating [saying] no, you say all of the members of PLB from beachgoers to homeowners all the ones that live in the area say no, so why are we even having this discussion?” asked Muldoon.
Protect Liverpool Bay is being represented at the board hearing by lawyers from environmental law organization Ecojustice, a non profit charity which helps organizations defend and protect the environment. Muldoon says the board will not listen to repetitious arguments, so Ecojustice is working with other intervenors to ensure everyone has an opportunity to speak and present evidence.
In their application, Kelly Cove Salmon explains the change is being requested to “fully encompass existing cages, mooring lines, and anchors within lease boundaries. The lease boundaries will incorporate six (6) additional cages resulting in a 2 x 10 configuration in addition to an increase in production to ensure the long term environmental and financial stability of this site.”
Hearings into the application will be held February 5-9, 2024 at the Liverpool Best Western Hotel.
Follow these links to the Aquaculture Review Board Application Hearing and the Protect Liverpool Bay pages to learn more.
To hear the broadcast of this story click play below.