Debris from the fish farm near Coffin Island on Beach Meadows Beach in 2021. (Rick Conrad photo)

It’s been a little over a month since Nova Scotia’s aquaculture review board indefinitely adjourned hearings into a fish farm application in Liverpool Bay.

And there’s still no indication if the hearings will ever begin.

Jamie Simpson with Juniper Law represents one of the intervenors in the hearing, a group of lobster fishermen. He said Thursday he hasn’t heard a word.

“The parties haven’t been informed of any updates, any new dates, or any attempts to schedule anything,” Simpson said in an interview.

“It’s just kind of radio silence at the moment. And I guess we’re just kind of sitting tight waiting to see what might happen.”

Kelly Cove Salmon, owned by Cooke Aquaculture, applied in 2019 to expand its salmon farming operation off Coffin Island near Liverpool, and to add two new farms off Brooklyn and Mersey Point. If successful, that would increase Cooke’s operation to 60 pens from 14, and include trout as well as salmon. It could mean up to 1.8 million farmed salmon in the bay, compared to about 400,000 now.

More than 150 residents, businesses and community groups filed written submissions with the board. Five groups were granted intervenor status at the hearings: Protect Liverpool Bay, the Region of Queens, the Brooklyn Marina, 22 Lobster Fishermen of Liverpool Bay, and Kwilmu’kw Maw-Klusuaqn, which is representing the Acadia First Nation.

The hearings had been scheduled to begin in Liverpool on March 4. At a business luncheon in Liverpool on Feb. 7, Premier Tim Houston said he was personally opposed to the expansion, but that he respects the independence of the review board.

On Feb. 20, groups involved in the hearing got a “high priority” email from the board, telling them those hearings were cancelled. Lawyers were told that April hearing dates were still a go.

Then on March 6, the board posted a notice on its website that “all sessions of the hearing have been adjourned until further notice.”

The board did not give a reason. And it’s still just as tight-lipped today as it was then.

In an email on Thursday, board clerk Stacy Bruce repeated what he told QCCR in March, that there is no new information about the hearing. And he said when new information is available, it will be posted to the website.

Bruce also turned down a request from QCCR to interview board chairman Tim Cranston. He said board members are not available for public comment on their work.

The delays occurred when lawyers involved in the hearing were told in mid-February that then-chairwoman Jean McKenna was no longer on the board. 

They were surprised because McKenna had been involved in preparing for the hearings, even though her one-year term was set to expire anyway on Feb. 15. That is confirmed in a ministerial order signed by then-Fisheries and Aquaculture Minister Steve Craig on Feb. 17, 2023.

Part of the ministerial order from Feb. 17, 2023, reappointing Jean McKenna as chairwoman of the Nova Scotia Aquaculture Review Board for one year.

A spokesman for Cooke Aquaculture declined comment Thursday on the delays.

And Kent Smith, Nova Scotia’s fisheries and aquaculture minister, also would not comment Thursday. A spokeswoman said it wouldn’t be appropriate to comment while the matter is still before the board.

Lawyer Jamie Simpson said that regulatory boards generally try to address issues in a timely manner. 

“I would presume that the most affected is Cooke, Kelly Cove Salmon,” Simpson said. “They are the ones that brought the application forward and they are the ones that are interested in getting this moving. In terms of the lobster fishers of Liverpool Bay, they would rather not see the aquaculture site go in of course because of the potential impacts on lobster stocks and impact to fishing in that area.”

Simpson said that his clients will wait and see what happens with the hearings. He said it would be nice to have the issue resolved, but that it’s up to the board to make that happen.

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A map showing where Kelly Cove Salmon proposes two new fish farm sites (in yellow) and where it plans to expand its existing operation (in green). (Nova Scotia Aquaculture Review Board)

It’s anyone’s guess as to when or if the Nova Scotia Aquaculture Review Board will hold hearings into a proposal to expand fish farming in Liverpool Bay.

The board posted a notice on its website on March 6, saying that hearing dates scheduled for April 2 to 5 were cancelled. They gave no reason, and no new dates are on the horizon.

Kelly Cove Salmon, owned by Cooke Aquaculture, applied in 2019 to expand its salmon farming operation off Coffin Island near Liverpool, and to add two new farms off Brooklyn and Mersey Point. If successful, that would increase Cooke’s operation to 60 pens from 14, and include trout as well as salmon. It could mean up to 1.8 million farmed salmon in the bay, compared to about 400,000 now.

Groups involved in the hearing are as much in the dark as everybody else.

Jamie Simpson with Juniper Law represents one of the five intervenors, 22 Lobster Fishermen of Liverpool Bay.

He said Monday that he received an email from the board telling him the April dates were cancelled. They also made no attempt to set new dates, he said. Since then, he hasn’t heard a thing.

“I would have thought that we would have heard some sort of a followup plan for the path forward here, but it’s just been silent so far.

“I mean I don’t know what to think. I’ve never seen it before basically. … It’s been radio silence since we got that letter.”

The hearings have been on hold since chairwoman Jean McKenna left the board on Feb. 20. Her departure surprised groups involved in the hearing, although the Nova Scotia government said her term had simply expired. 

The board cancelled March hearing dates and said that the April hearings would still go ahead.

The Tory government appointed board member and former Tory candidate Tim Cranston to take McKenna’s place as chairman. Cranston has been a member of the ARB since 2023. He ran unsuccessfully for the Conservatives in the last provincial election.

Premier Tim Houston came out against the proposed expansion in early February, but said that he supports aquaculture and respects the independence of the review board.

More than 150 residents, businesses and community groups filed written submissions with the board. Five groups were granted intervenor status at the hearings: Protect Liverpool Bay, the Region of Queens, the Brooklyn Marina, 22 Lobster Fishermen of Liverpool Bay, and Kwilmu’kw Maw-Klusuaqn, which is representing the Acadia First Nation.

Representatives with the review board have not commented on the cancellations or when there might be new hearings scheduled. They have said that any new information will be posted on their website.

Jamie Simpson said Monday that all he and his clients can do is wait.

“I don’t know what the forces are that are moving this, but all we can do is sit back, it’s highly unusual,” he said. 

“It seems like anything’s possible at this point. I assume that Kelly Cove Salmon wants to go ahead with their application. I haven’t heard anything to the contrary in that regard. So assuming that Kelly Cove doesn’t pull out, we’ll be going ahead at some point. And that’s about all I can say.”

A spokesman for Cooke Aquaculture could not be reached on Monday.

Email: rickconradqccr@gmail.com

Debris from the fish farm near Coffin Island on Beach Meadows Beach in 2021. (Rick Conrad photo)

April hearings into a proposed fish farm expansion in Liverpool Bay have been cancelled.

The Nova Scotia Aquaculture Review Board posted on its website last Wednesday that “all sessions of the hearing have been adjourned until further notice. Timeframes for submissions to the Board remain unchanged and are closed.”

It’s the latest surprising turn of events for the review board. In early February, Premier Tim Houston announced at a business luncheon in Liverpool that he personally opposes the expansion in Liverpool Bay. He added that he respects the independence of the review board.

Kelly Cove Salmon, which is owned by Cooke Aquaculture, applied in 2019 to expand its existing operation off Coffin Island. It also wants to add two new site off Brooklyn and Mersey Point.

On Feb. 20, groups involved in the hearing got a “high priority” email telling them the hearings scheduled for March 4 to 8 were cancelled. They were also told that board chairwoman Jean McKenna was no longer with the board.

Lawyers were told that other dates that had been scheduled for early April were still a go.

A new chairman was appointed. Tim Cranston was appointed to the board in February 2023. He also ran for the Tories in the last provincial election in Halifax.

Houston told reporters that McKenna’s term had expired and that there was nothing inappropriate about Cranston’s appointment.

And then last week, the board posted on its site that the April dates were now cancelled.

The board has been mum about all the recent changes and hearing cancellations, saying only that when new information is available, it will be posted on its website.

There is no indication when or if they will be rescheduled.

Email: rickconradqccr@gmail.com

Betsy Hartt and Bob Iuliucci, owners of Bear Cove Resources, will make an oral presentation at the upcoming Nova Scotia Aquaculture Review Board hearing in Liverpool. (Rick Conrad photo)

By Rick Conrad

UPDATE 9:25 p.m. Tuesday

The Nova Scotia Aquaculture Review Board hearing into a proposed fish farm expansion in Liverpool Bay has been delayed until further notice, the board posted on its website Tuesday night.

“The hearing scheduled for March 4-8, 2024, in Liverpool, has been adjourned until further notice,” the notice reads. “New dates will be announced here once these have been determined by the board.”

No reason was given. Elsewhere on the board’s site, chairwoman Jean McKenna’s name has been removed. The new chairman is Tim Cranston, a member of the board and a lawyer “with 20 years+ experience as in-house counsel for two award-winning marine bio-tech companies.”

QCCR has contacted the board with questions about McKenna’s status and the hearing delay.

Meanwhile, more than 150 individuals, businesses and other groups had their comments on the proposed fish farm expansion accepted by the board.

Kelly Cove Salmon, which is owned by Cooke Aquaculture, has applied to expand its operations near Coffin Island and to add two new sites off Brooklyn and Mersey Point.

If successful, Kelly Cove’s operation would grow to 60 pens from its current 14. It would mean about 1.8 million salmon would be farmed in the bay, compared to the current estimated 400,000. Farmed trout would also be added at Coffin Island.

In addition to the written submissions and oral presentations from the public, five groups have been granted intervenor status: Protect Liverpool Bay, the Region of Queens, the Brooklyn Marina, a group of 23 lobster fishermen, and Kwilmu’kw Maw-Klusuaqn, which is representing the Acadia First Nation.

People had until Feb. 12 to submit their comments or ask to make an oral presentation at the hearings. 

Seven people or groups are giving oral presentations, including Bear Cove Resources Storm-cast Seaweed in East Berlin, owned by Bob Iuliucci and Betsy Hartt.

They say they’re worried about the effects of a four-fold increase in salmon and trout farming in the area.

“There’s absolutely no way (the farms are) going to withstand an easterly wind that can bring waves of 10 metres,” Iuliucci said Tuesday in an interview.

“We’ve had storm events (here), in one storm event the shoreline went back about five metres. … A net full of fish, it’s hopeless, it would be really unfortunate for everybody.”

Iuliucci says he’s also worried about what would happen if the new farm sites get caught up in tidal surges, especially given the current problems with flooding at Centennial Park on the Liverpool waterfront.

“We have the park inundated on a regular basis. So now we’re gonna have hundreds of thousands of fish stranded as well and on people’s properties.”

Hartt says their customers ask about whether their compost is affected by the current operation.

“The more their gear gets tossed around, the more their gear gets included in the seaweed we collect. And we get customers asking us questions already. ‘Does the fish farm affect the seaweed? Does that mean that I’m going to get microplastics in the seaweed compost I’m buying from you?’ I let them know at this stage, no. But when you consider the magnification of that project, that is going to be a concern.”

Most of the public feedback the review board received was in written submissions. It accepted 146 letters, which are published on its website. 

Most of those written submissions oppose Kelly Cove’s application. Twelve support it. Among the supporters are the mayor of Shelburne and businesses who have done business with Cooke.

But several other submissions were rejected by the independent board. 

That included two of the area’s politicians. According to a post on the Social Politics Facebook page, Queens MLA Kim Masland had her letter rejected because the board said it must be free of “appearance of any possible influence” by elected officials. 

Masland has spoken out against the project. In her letter, posted on her Facebook page, she said the expansion would harm the environment, tourism, the lobster fishery and residents’ general enjoyment of Beach Meadows Beach. 

Masland could not be reached for comment Tuesday. Premier Tim Houston also came out against the project last week, during a luncheon in Liverpool organized by the South Queens Chamber of Commerce.

The board also rejected submissions from people who were listed as a member of one of the intervenor groups. It ruled that their interests were already being represented. 

Region of Queens District 4 Coun. Vicki Amirault’s area includes Brooklyn and Beach Meadows. She was one of those whose letter was rejected, and she was also told she could not make a presentation at the hearings, because she is already represented by the Region of Queens as an intervenor.

“I’m not very happy about it. I’m the one that’s out and about in the community and I’m the one that’s hearing from my constituents and I believe I should be able to speak on their behalf. 

“I have not heard from anybody yet that is in favour of this expansion.”

Email: rickconradqccr@gmail.com

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Debris from the fish farm near Coffin Island on Beach Meadows Beach in 2021. (Rick Conrad photo)

By Rick Conrad

If you’re concerned about a proposed fish farm expansion in Liverpool Bay, there’s a letter writing session planned for the Thomas H. Raddall Library on Saturday from 1 to 4.

Kelly Cove Salmon, which is owned by Cooke Aquaculture, has applied to add to its operations near Coffin Island and to add two new sites off Brooklyn and Mersey Point.

If successful, Kelly Cove’s operation would grow to 60 pens from its current 14. It would mean about 1.8 million salmon would be farmed in the bay, compared to the current estimated 400,000.

The Nova Scotia Aquaculture Review Board has public hearings scheduled for Liverpool beginning March 4. 

Members of the public can have their say on the application until Feb. 12 by sending their comments to the review board.

Residents contacted QCCR this week concerned that their letters were being rejected by the board. In an email to QCCR, the review board said individual comments from those who are listed as members of one of the five intervenors in the application will be rejected.

A notice posted at Queens Place Emera Centre.

For example, some supporters of Protect Liverpool Bay had their submissions rejected because the grassroots group listed their names as members when it applied for, and was granted, intervenor status. The others are the Region of Queens, the Brooklyn Marina, a group of 23 lobster fishermen, and Kwilmu’kw Maw-Klusuaqn, which is representing the Acadia First Nation.

The review board told QCCR that “in the interests of efficiency, if a single body can present those interests, those concerns can be dealt with by a single entity.”

“The board encourages public participation and does want to hear from everyone,” Stacy Bruce, the board’s clerk said in the email.

“However, as (Protect Liverpool Bay) is a party to the hearing representing all its members, if a member’s name is on the list PLB provided, they may not submit written statements as they are already being represented by PLB as an intervenor and not as a member of the general public. Only members of the general public that are not party to the hearing are permitted to submit written or oral submissions.”

Opponents of the expansion got a big morale boost this week when Premier Tim Houston told a business luncheon in Liverpool that he personally opposes more fish farms in Liverpool Bay.

“I think some areas are great for aquaculture and I think that some others are maybe not the best place for it,” he told about 80 Liverpool businesspeople and others at a luncheon on Wednesday, sponsored by the South Queens Chamber of Commerce.

“On this specific question on Liverpool Bay, … I personally don’t think Liverpool Bay is a suitable place for it.

“That’s my personal opinion. I respect the process, the independent review board will do their process and will have hearings. They’ll do their thing. But my personal opinion is I don’t think Liverpool Bay is a suitable place for it.”

Email: rickconradqccr@gmail.com

Kim Masland, Queens MLA and Nova Scotia Public Works Minister, and Premier Tim Houston take questions at a business luncheon in Liverpool on Wednesday. (Rick Conrad photo)

By Rick Conrad

Opponents of a proposed fish farm expansion near Liverpool got a big morale boost on Wednesday as Premier Tim Houston told a business luncheon that he personally opposes the plan for more fish farms in Liverpool Bay.

“I think some areas are great for aquaculture and I think that some others are maybe not the best place for it.

“On this specific question on Liverpool Bay, … I personally don’t think Liverpool Bay is a suitable place for it,” Houston said to applause.

“That’s my personal opinion. I respect the process, the independent review board will do their process and will have hearings. They’ll do their thing. But my personal opinion is I don’t think Liverpool Bay is a suitable place for it.”

About 80 Queens County businesspeople and others were at the Best Western Plus in Liverpool for the event, which was organized by the South Queens Chamber of Commerce, and featured the premier and Queens MLA and Public Works Minister Kim Masland.

The premier’s comments came during a wide-ranging question and answer session, in response to a question about Kelly Cove Salmon’s application to expand its operations near Coffin Island, and to add two new sites off Brooklyn and Mersey Point. 

If successful, Kelly Cove’s operation would grow to 60 pens from its current 14. It would mean about 1.8 million salmon would be farmed in the bay, compared to the current estimated 400,000. Kelly Cove would also farm trout at its operation at Coffin Island. 

The Nova Scotia Aquaculture Review Board has public hearings scheduled for Liverpool beginning March 4. 

The grassroots group Protect Liverpool Bay is one of five groups granted intervenor status at the hearing. The others are the Region of Queens, the Brooklyn Marina, a group of 23 lobster fishermen, and Kwilmu’kw Maw-Klusuaqn, which is representing the Acadia First Nation.

In an interview afterward, Houston said he wanted to make sure those gathered for the event knew where he stood personally.

“The review board will do their process and we certainly respect that process, but on a personal level I believe that there are places where aquaculture makes sense and great opportunities in this province. There are other places where it doesn’t make sense. And I don’t think Liverpool Bay is one where it makes the best sense.”

“The hearings will start in March, people will have their chance to have their say. That’s my personal opinion. There will be many other opinions shared through that process and the board will take those all in and look at the science and make their decision. I just thought for this room here, it was important that they knew where I personally stood.”

Masland repeated her opposition to the fish farm expansion. She had spoken against it as an opposition MLA.

“I think my position has been communicated very well from the very beginning,” she told the crowd. “I take this job as your MLAs very seriously and I always take the time to listen to the constituents within the area I represent.”

In an interview, she said she was happy with the premier’s comments.

“We do have a process that needs to be followed. I do understand that. But certainly we have a premier who listens, and understands and respects the value of people’s voices in the community and I think that was shown today by his comment.”

Jeff Nickerson, business development manager for Cooke Aquaculture, which owns Kelly Cove Salmon, was at the event on Wednesday. He did not want to comment on the premier’s remarks. He referred media questions to Cooke spokesman Joel Richardson.

“We’ve been going through the provincial review process for the Liverpool Bay project for many years, since we first submitted the application in 2019 and we look forward to going through the government’s review process,” Richardson said in an interview.

“As the applicant that is bringing the Liverpool Bay project forward, we appreciate that the premier respects the aquaculture review board process.”

Brian Muldoon, president of Protect Liverpool Bay, said he was surprised at the premier’s comments. Protect Liverpool Bay is one of five intervenors at the upcoming hearing.

“I was really impressed. I didn’t expect that he would come out and actually say personally that he is against having open net pen fish farms here in Liverpool Bay.”

Region of Queens Mayor Darlene Norman said she understands it’s only the premier’s personal opinion, but that it is welcome news.

“It’s wonderful to know that he believes they are not suited for our bay,” she said in an interview.

“I think his personal views and the separation from the ARB are very distinct but it does sort of give you that at least the premier understands and is of our same mindset.”

Members of the public can also have their say on Kelly Cove’s application. The review board is accepting public submissions until Feb. 12.

Email: rickconradqccr@gmail.com

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Debris found on Beach Meadows Beach in 2021 allegedly from the fish farm near Coffin Island. (Rick Conrad photo)

By Rick Conrad

A group opposed to fish farms in Liverpool Bay will hold a public information session on Saturday afternoon.

Volunteers with the group, Protect Liverpool Bay, will be at Mersey Point Hall from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. to answer the public’s questions about proposed fish farm expansion in the area and an upcoming regulatory hearing on the proposal.

Protect Liverpool Bay has been fighting efforts by Kelly Cove Salmon, which is owned by Cooke Aquaculture, to expand its fish farming operations off Coffin Island, and to create new sites off Mersey Point and Brooklyn. 

A Nova Scotia aquaculture review board hearing into Kelly Cove’s application is set to begin at the Best Western Hotel in Liverpool on March 4. 

Protect Liverpool Bay was granted intervenor status at the hearing, along with the Region of Queens, and representatives from Acadia First Nation, Brooklyn Marina and a group of Liverpool Bay fishermen.

Email: rickconradqccr@gmail.com

Listen to a QCCR news update below.