Salmon Aquaculture Strengthens Rural Communities

Today, the Government of Nova Scotia and Cooke Aquaculture are capitalizing on an unprecedented opportunity for rural communities to benefit from and realize the potential of a locally-based, globally competitive, sustainable aquaculture industry, says Pamela Parker, Executive Director of the Atlantic Canada Fish Farmers Association. This is absolutely excellent news for Nova Scotia, its coastal communities and for our entire region.

Ms Parker says this announcement is an important step toward Atlantic Canadians becoming greater benefactors of the growing global need for seafood.

Global population is expected to increase by two billion in less than 20 years, and it is estimated people will eat 70 per cent more fish. Aquaculture already supplies 50 per cent of the worlds seafood consumed by humans, says Ms Parker. Atlantic Canada is one of the best geographic locations in the world to farm fish because of our abundant natural ocean environment that provides optimal conditions for the well-being of farmed fish and the sustainability of the environment. Its exciting to see Nova Scotia taking steps to take advantage of this opportunity to create jobs at home, generate investment and renew the tax base in rural communities.

In New Brunswick, salmon farming has created 1,870 jobs in Charlotte County alone, an area once hard hit by unemployment, says Parker. Newfoundland has embraced the aquaculture development opportunity and has seen the value of their industry rise by 50 per cent in one year from $60 million in 2009 to $90 million in 2010.