The Nova Scotia Aquaculture Review Board finished in-person hearings Friday into Kelly Cove Salmon’s application to expand its operation in Queens County. (Rick Conrad)

There could be a decision on a proposed fish farm expansion in Liverpool Bay by the end of the year.

The Nova Scotia Aquaculture Review Board wrapped up a week of hearings Friday afternoon in Bridgewater into Kelly Cove Salmon’s application to add to its Atlantic salmon operation near Coffin Island, off Beach Meadows Beach.

Kelly Cove, which is owned by Cooke Aquaculture, originally wanted to expand the Coffin Island site and add two new farms in Brooklyn and Mersey Point. But it decided to pursue only the expansion for now.

That will add another six pens for a 20-cage farm, with up to 660,000 fish.

Lawyers for four intervenors were at the hearings this week: Protect Liverpool Bay, the Region of Queens, 22 Lobster Fishermen of Liverpool Bay, and Kwilmu’kw Maw-Klusuaqn, which includes the Wasoqopa’q First Nation.

Experts from the Region of Queens and the lobster fishermen were cross-examined on Friday morning, with a panel of three fishermen testifying in the afternoon.

The intervenors have various concerns with the expansion. 

Community group Protect Liverpool Bay says it will harm an ecologically sensitive area and risk the lucrative lobster industry. 

The Kwilmu’kw Maw-Klusuaqn objection concerns the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture not properly consulting local Mi’kmaq communities on areas affecting their treaty rights.

The Region of Queens is concerned about how the operation could affect fish habitats and local tourism.

And the lobster fishermen are worried about how an expanded fish farm would affect sensitive lobster fishing grounds and populations.

Peter Stewart, a retired lobster fisherman near Moose Harbour, and two other fishermen were cross-examined on Friday by Kelly Cove’s lawyer.

The fishermen were asked how much of the lobster grounds usually fished would be affected by the Coffin Island expansion. She also challenged Stewart on underwater video taken by one of the company’s experts that appeared to show lobster living unharmed under the current fish farm.

Stewart told QCCR after the hearing that Kelly Cove’s scientific studies aren’t telling the whole story about the lobster grounds and aquaculture’s impact on juvenile and baby lobsters.

“I have concerns about the whole process,” Stewart said. “I think they try to do science-based studies and they’ve missed a mark there where there’s a lot of science that’s lacking of what’s going on in these bays. … So the board’s not getting the full story as far as us speaking. Hopefully through the submissions that we’ve put in and the ones that we’re going to put in, they’ll understand exactly how we feel and our thoughts on the matter.”

Much of the evidence for the hearing was collected based on Kelly Cove’s much larger original application. The board didn’t allow the parties to amend their evidence to account for only the Coffin Island expansion.

The fishermen’s lawyer Jamie Simpson of Juniper Law said it’s challenging to argue the case given that restriction.

“I mean, we thought that the process should have been restarted, given the significant change in scope of the application. … But anyway, the board didn’t allow that, so we just have to work with that challenge.”

James Gunvaldsen Klaassen is with Ecojustice, which is representing Protect Liverpool Bay at the hearings. He said his clients were pleased they finally got a chance to air their concerns about Kelly Cove’s plans.

“It’s obviously a huge concern of our clients that, you know, the issues with aquaculture and the impacts on Liverpool Bay are well understood by the board, and we feel we did a good job in explaining things as best we could, given the structure of this hearing. and I have every confidence that the board will make a good decision.”

The last session of the hearings will be virtual on Oct. 31 as the intervenors will get a chance to cross-examine Kelly Cove’s experts conclusions on lobster habitat in the area. After all the groups file their final written submissions with the three-member panel, the board has 30 days to release its decision.

Email: rickconradqccr@gmail.com

Listen to the audio version of this story below

Queens MLA Kim Masland and Premier Tim Houston take questions at a business luncheon in Liverpool in February 2024. (Rick Conrad file photo)

As hearings continue this week into a proposed expanded fish farm in Queens County, Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston has softened his stance against aquaculture in Liverpool Bay.

During a question-and-answer session at a business luncheon in Liverpool in February 2024, Houston said he was personally opposed to Kelly Cove Salmon’s plan to expand its operations near Coffin Island, off Beach Meadows Beach, and to add two new sites in Brooklyn and Mersey Point. That would have added 46 more open-net pens and 1.4 million more farmed salmon in Liverpool Bay. 

Kelly Cove is a subsidiary of Cooke Aquaculture.

 “I think some areas are great for aquaculture and I think that some others are maybe not the best place for it,” Houston said last year. “On this specific question on Liverpool Bay, … I personally don’t think Liverpool Bay is a suitable place for it.” 

But this week, Houston told QCCR that he’s more comfortable with the company’s application to add six cages for a 20-pen farm at its Coffin Island site.

“I think at the time the initial proposals were much larger than what is before the board now,” he said in an interview.

“I think there was some acknowledgement of the concerns that I and others had, certainly residents had, and modification, really bringing things down to size. So the board will make their decision now, but I was happy to see some kind of more appropriate sizing being put before the board.”

Queens MLA Kim Masland, however, told QCCR that she is still opposed to the expansion.

“My position’s never changed,” she said in an interview Wednesday. “And I think if you check the record, there is not another MLA that has said that in this province.”

A three-member panel of the Nova Scotia Aquaculture Review Board began hearings on Tuesday in Bridgewater. 

Panel chairman Damien Barry told the hearing that on July 18, the board granted Kelly Cove’s request to split the three applications. The company asked the board to proceed with the Coffin Island boundary amendment and leave the applications for two new farms “in abeyance”.

Lawyers are representing six groups at the tribunal, including Kelly Cove Salmon, the Nova Scotia Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, the Region of Queens, community group Protect Liverpool Bay, 22 Lobster Fishermen of Liverpool Bay and the Wasoqopa’q First Nation.

Queens County residents opposed to the application were upset that the board didn’t hold hearings in Liverpool.

As the hearing began, Barry said the board tried to find a suitable location in Liverpool for the dates that were set aside. But nothing was available.

When asked on Wednesday, Masland said she was also upset when she found out the hearings were going to be held in Bridgewater.

“I immediately went and met with the minister of fisheries and aquaculture in person, expressed my displeasure and asked for the reasons why and asked him to investigate it. Again, ARB is independent from government, but he did look into it.

“Do I feel that they should have changed the date? Absolutely. It should have been held here in the community and where the fish farm expansion is going, and the minister knows that.”

The hearings are expected to continue until Friday afternoon at the Days Inn in Bridgewater. People can register here to watch a livestream of the proceedings.

Email: rickconradqccr@gmail.com

MacPhersons in Liverpool has been sold. (MacPhersons via Facebook)

The Wasoqopa’q, or Acadia, First Nation have bought two Liverpool retail businesses.

The Mi’kmaw nation’s leadership announced Tuesday evening that it has bought the long-established MacPhersons in Liverpool.

And early Wednesday evening, it announced it has bought the building currently operating as the Milton Market in Milton. That building has been for sale since May.

Wasoqopa’q is based in Yarmouth but takes in communities throughout southwestern Nova Scotia to Halifax. It includes six reserves: Yarmouth, Ponhook, Medway, Wildcat, Gold River and Hammonds Plains.

Liverpool furniture and sporting goods store MacPhersons was established in 1982, but the MacPherson family said their family has been in business for five generations.

Wasoqopa’q First Nation said it has bought the store and the land behind the business.

Owner Horace MacPherson told QCCR on Wednesday he was too busy for an interview and would prefer to comment next week.

Chief Deborah Robinson could not be reached for comment.

In the post shared by Deputy Chief Avis Johnson about MacPhersons, the First Nation leadership says it will continue to operate MacPhersons as it is now.

“MacPhersons has a long history as a successful establishment in Queens and we plan to continue to deliver the same quality service customers have come to know. The operation will continue to be managed by longtime employee Tyler Frank, a Wasoqopa’q First Nation member.”

In the same post, the MacPherson family said they’re leaving the store in “the best of hands”.

“Our family is honoured to pass the store on to the First Nations community. It’s a meaningful transition for us, knowing the store will continue to serve the community with the same heart and eclectic spirit that’s made it special for so many years.

“We’ve always believed in offering a little bit of everything, and we’re thrilled to see that legacy carried forward.”

Post shared on Facebook about the MacPhersons sale

MacPhersons sells appliances, furniture, hunting and fishing supplies and a variety of other products, including clothing, household goods and some audio-visual and computer supplies.

It also leases space to the Needs gas bar and convenience store next door.

The Wasoqopa’q leadership said it also plans to develop the land behind the store which runs down to the Mersey River as an outdoor cultural gathering place guided by Mi’kmaw traditional teaching.

Region of Queens Mayor Scott Christian said he’s happy to see the business continue.

“I love MacPhersons because for me, it’s the store that has stuff that nobody else has in Queens. So I think it’s a really important member of the retail business community here. And I think it’s really interesting that (the new owner is) the First Nations community. I think it’s great.”

It’s unclear when the new owners of MacPhersons will officially take over. 

Facebook post about the Milton Market sale

As for the Milton Market property, the Indigenous community said they expected to make a formal announcement on July 31, “however in an effort to dispel speculation and false information we are sharing the news today.”

“We will use this property for a variety of programming, including an adult education and drop-in centre, workshops, small group gatherings, and other activities. More information to our membership will be shared once the purchase is complete.

“The ability to find appropriate space for our programming in the Queens area has gotten more difficult in the past few years. We are pleased to finally have a space of our own.”

Email: rickconradqccr@gmail.com