A critical deadline has come and gone for those concerned about the potential use of pesticides in farmed salmon in Shelburne County.
A year ago federal government scientists raised concerns about the chemicals used to fight sea lice in the New Brunswick
salmon farming industry.
That chemical, Salmosan, is approved for use in the Bay of Fundy.
Those who want Shelburne Inner Basin declared a pesticide free zone say Friday’s deadline for input to Health Canada passed without any response from government to their concerns.
Shelley Hipson is the Coordinator for the Harbour Authority Initiative for wharves in Lower Sandy Point, Gunning Cove, Ingomar and Port LaTour and Jordan Bay.
She says it seems no one is listening.
“Over the years, there have been protests. There have been hundreds of thousands of people coming together that have tried to voice their concerns about this industry. No, we’re not being heard.”
Hipson says last year the Fisheries Act changed and many people were alarmed.
“It allowed the exception for the aquaculture industry to dump pesticides in our harbours and bays to treat different diseases, specifically sea lice.
Nell Halse, a spokesperson for Cooke Aquaculture, says the company understands there have been long-standing concerns about their practices on their salmon farms.
‘These are legitimate concerns and good conversations to have, we take them seriously. We are working with the science community, veterinarians, and oceanographers to make sure we have minimal impact on the ocean in areas where we farm. We have actually never used pesticides in Nova Scotia on any of our farms, we don’t need to.”
Halse says they have not had to deal with sea lice infestations in their Nova Scotia Farms.
