Friends, its a critical time to tell NS leaders to end open net-pen finfish farming in our shallow bays! This is a ONE TIME 5-year opportunity to have your say. Nova Scotia is currently undergoing a review of its aquaculture regulations, and the government wants YOUR input until September 6th. With fish farm expansions unfolding all around the province, it's more critical than ever that they hear from you. PLEASE Follow the link below to the Province’s survey, reference our suggested responses and let our leaders know that industrial scale fish farming is STILL not welcome in our waters. By the way if you think an aquaculture regulatory review should be mandatory every 5 years - say so in your survey!
To assist you, please check out the Healthy Bays Network's survey responses at: https://www.healthybays.ca/regulatoryreview. It outlines TIPS and brief responses to each of the NSDFA’s survey questions, which will hopefully help folks who might not be sure what to say.
Here is a link to the Survey: https://novascotia.ca/aquaculture-regulatory-review-public-consultation/
Question #6 of the Survey provides an opportunity to comment on anything you want. A suggested response is:
"We do not support the expansion of open-net pen finfish farming in our waters, and we urge the NSDFA to establish a cap on new sea-cage finfish licenses. Regulations should prepare Nova Scotia for a transition away from net pen technologies, as is happening in B.C., in favour of shellfish, seaweed, and land-based closed containment finfish alternatives."
Even if you only answer Question Six with a response like this, it would be very helpful!
Please share on your social channels, and with friends and neighbours, over the next few days.
Again, Deadline for submissions is Tuesday, Sept. 6th.
Completing this survey is critically important because it is an opportunity to send a direct message to the Government. You can bet that industry supporters are participating in this survey! In fact, Cooke has again spared no expense to produce a slick promotional video that was sponsored across the Province on Facebook and other social media. In it, they never show conditions in or under the pens and it is clearly attempting to instil confidence in the open net pen finfish method of aquaculture. It is a well-funded and carefully crafted release to influence the survey results. Here is a link to that video: https://fb.watch/fdTRzXIlSR/
Thank You,
Protect Liverpool Bay Association
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