Salmon farmer eyeing up Liverpool Bay.
Cooke Aquaculture Inc. is looking to expand its sea farming operations in Liverpool Bay, according to the company, as part of its long-term commitment to reinvesting in Atlantic Canada as reported in NovaNewsNow.
Nova Scotia
The company through its subsidiary Kelly Cove Salmon Ltd. has been given an option to lease, issued by Nova Scotia Fisheries and Aquaculture, has been granted the option to explore expansion opportunities in Liverpool Bay.
Cooke has made their intentions known to the province and has six months to apply for a specific site. The company has owned and operated a fish farm there since 2011.
Cooke Aquaculture said: “Like any responsible company, we always look to the future. We would like to continue to grow and innovate in Atlantic Canada, and we see an opportunity to build on our business in Nova Scotia.”
Joel Richardson, vice-president public relations for Cooke told the publication that: “The Liverpool option for sea farming site growth is one part of the Cooke family’s long-term vision and commitment to reinvesting in Atlantic Canada.”
During the option period (Sept. 7, 2018 to March 7, 2019) the company will be “exploring the option location to determine potential fit to establish an aquaculture site. This investigation may lead to future applications for specific sites,” stated the notice.
Final decision
“An option to lease is not an aquaculture licence or lease, so no aquacultural products will be introduced during this period,” the notice further reads. “Any applications arising from this option to lease process will be reviewed for final decision by the independent Aquaculture Review Board.”
Over the next five years Cooke Aquaculture could spend millions on operations in the Atlantic region.
Millions
“For example, we are mid-way through a $20 million investment in upgrading our Northeast Nutrition fish feed manufacturing plant in Truro, sustaining upwards of 60 direct jobs, with growth potential on the horizon,” Richardson said.
The publication also reported that Cooke Aquaculture bought land in the Burnside Industrial park, where it intends to “further expand our Nova Scotia fish procurement and distribution operations.”
The company is currently collecting information about the area and holding community meetings.
