The decision can have a huge impact on the Grieg NL Seafarms project in Canada.
CBC News in Canada was the first to report this.
A Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador judge has overturned a provincial minister’s decision to release a proposed Placentia Bay salmon farming project from further environmental assessment.
It was on the 22nd of July that former minister of environment and climate change, Perry Trimper, decided to release the Grieg NL Nurseries Ltd. and Grieg NL Seafarms project from further environmental assessment.
“I conclude the minister lacked the jurisdiction to release the project. The only possible conclusion he could reach was that the project had both ‘significant public concerns, and the potential for significant negative environmental effects,” wrote Justice Gillian Butler in her July 20 decision.
Demands full environmental impact statement
Butler also ordered that the project should be subject to a full environmental impact statement (EIS).
Spokesperson for Atlantic Salmon Federation (ASF), is thrilled by the decision of the court.
The project must now be re-registered. It has been feared that if a full EIS was required, the $250M CAD project would never get passed.
The Grieg family now has a big decision to be made. Should they continue with the project or not?
Massive plans
The Grieg Group is behind the project.
The plan was to build and operate a landbased resirculationsystem for hatching of atlantic salmon in Marystown. Furthermore the company wished for eleven sealocations in Placentia Bay.
The hatchery will produce up to seven million triploid smolt each year, which means a yearly production of 33.000 tonnes of salmon.
