Salmon Farm Expansion

Liverpool Bay, NS

Nova Scotia Aquaculture Review Board approves expansion of Liverpool Bay Salmon Farm

February 17, 2026 – Bridgewater, N.S.l Kelly Cove Salmon Ltd. (Kelly Cove) announced  the Nova Scotia Aquaculture Review Board’s (ARB) decision today approving the lease boundary amendment and expansion for salmon farm AQ#1205, located offshore from Coffin Island in Liverpool Bay.

Kelly Cove has operated the farm since 2011, and the approval allows 6 cages to be added to the site for the culture of Atlantic salmon bringing the total number of cages to 20.

“The week-long ARB public hearing in October was rigorous and brought together input from multiple stakeholders and intervenors,” said Joel Richardson, Vice President of Public Relations for Cooke Aquaculture Inc., parent company of Kelly Cove. “We appreciate that the Board allowed the time necessary for everyone to make presentations, ask questions and gain an understanding of how our aquaculture farming works.”

As part of the hearing, Kelly Cove exhibited this video about it’s Liverpool Bay operations: https://youtu.be/M4Ux3nXUUxk

In its decision, the ARB concluded that it is satisfied that there will be no negative, or any, impact of this amendment on any of the statutory conditions. The ARB further concluded:

– The re-drawing of the boundary to encompass the infrastructure, as well as adding six new cages, represents the optimum use of marine resources, in that the site will be used to efficiently produce thousands of kilograms of food.

– This farm makes a genuine contribution to community and Provincial economic development.

– The existing farm does not cause significant negative impacts to other fishery activities in Liverpool Bay.

– The oceanographic and biophysical characteristics of the public waters surrounding the proposed aquacultural operation are suitable for salmon aquaculture.

– The proposed expansion will not have a negative impact on the other users of the public waters surrounding the proposed aquacultural operation.

– There is no significant impact on the public right of navigation.

– The proposed expansion will not have any significant impact on the local wild salmon population and the existing farm has not had a significant impact since coming into operation in 2011.

Kelly Cove plans to install new, state-of-the-art cages, containment nets and underwater smart-farming technology which includes an integrated suite of advanced digital tools, sensors, robotics, and AI-driven systems designed to monitor fish farming in real-time.