Aquaculture Fund Recipients Announced

NOTE: A list of the projects and companies that received funding follows this release.

A number of Nova Scotia aquaculture projects and companies received an economic boost to support new production technologies, quality improvement and product development.

Fisheries and Aquaculture Minister Sterling Belliveau announced today, Oct. 22, the latest installment of a three-year, $2.5-million investment for Nova Scotia aquaculture operators and projects. The money comes from the Community Development Trust Fund.

"Aquaculture has provided more than 700 jobs in our coastal communities and, given the global market for high quality seafood and marine products, it has tremendous potential for growth," said Mr. Belliveau. "Right now, we already have 300 aquaculture sites in the province that are providing fish, shellfish and marine plants to local, national and international markets."

Established by the federal government, investment funds were provided through the Community Development Trust Fund, a $34.9-million program established in 2008 to aid communities and sectors experiencing economic challenges.

"This is a $58-million industry and growing," said Mr. Belliveau. "Government's support of Nova Scotia aquaculture will make life better for families in every region."

More information on the Nova Scotia fund is available at www.gov.ns.ca/econ/cdtrust .

The Community Development Trust Fund is intended to enhance sustainable prosperity, diversify economic and trade opportunities, improve productivity, innovation and training, assist communities with transition planning and help workers facing adjustment challenges.

Following is a list of CDT Funds awarded to the aquaculture industry:

Aquaculture Development Fund

• Aquaculture Association of Nova Scotia, to perform a gap analysis for certification on three land-based operations in Nova Scotia
• Eagle Ledge Shellfish Ltd., Lower Eel Brook, Yarmouth Co., to develop a new system to grow American oysters
• Cedar Bay Grilling Company Ltd., Blandford, Lunenburg Co. to develop, market and distribute four new product lines of value-added farmed Atlantic salmon products
• Aquaculture Association of Nova Scotia, to develop new marketing materials for industry use at events around Nova Scotia and a new website
• Sober Island Oysters, Sober Island, HRM, to purchase oyster bags and other materials to increase productivity
• Mussel Industry Council, to assist with marketing of farmed Maritime mussels across North America
• Genome Atlantic, Halifax, to develop camelina as the next oilseed and to determine its application in aquaculture feed
• Dynamic Systems Analysis, Halifax, to commercialize software to simulate responses of aquaculture sites to various exposure conditions and to test this software with several commercial users
• Rainbow Net and Rigging, Dartmouth, to build net washing facility near Chester, Lunenburg Co. to service all fish-farm nets in Nova Scotia in an environmentally sustainable manner
• Indian Point Marine Farms, Mahone Bay, Lunenburg Co., to develop a technology to recover mussel seed from the synthetic mesh used to protect against predation from sea ducks
• Millbrook First Nation, Truro, Colchester Co., to upgrade water treatment and filtration systems at its land-based Arctic char facility
• CanAqua Seafoods Ltd., Advocate, Cumberland Co., to develop and assess optimized land-based tank farming of Atlantic halibut
• 5M Aquafarms, Victoria Co., to conduct a study to determine the economic feasibility of a mussel processing facility
• Nova Scotia Agriculture College, Bible Hill, Colchester Co., to develop striped bass aquaculture
• Ocean Trout Farms Inc., Coldwater, Ont., to conduct a gap analysis for certification on rainbow trout sites in Queens and Yarmouth counties and processing facility in Shelburne County
• Fundy Tidal Inc., Annapolis County, to research the development of tidal powered aquaculture operations
• North River Fish Farms, Colchester County, to expand its facility and upgrade filtration system
• Bill MacLean, Inverness County, oyster re-development using upwellers in the Bras d'Or Lakes
• Cape Breton University, to research MSX disease in oysters

Aquaculture Site Development Assistance Program

• Mabou Harbour Shellfish Growers Association, Inverness County, for baseline data collection for expansion of 12 sites
• Jamie Davidson, Pictou County, for baseline data collection for site expansion
• Eagle Ledge Shellfish Ltd., Yarmouth County, for baseline data collection for two sites
• Sober Island Oysters, Halifax County, for baseline data collection for new site development
• Limekiln Fisheries, New Brunswick, for baseline data collection for a site expansion at Owls Head, HRM
• Kelly Cove Salmon Ltd. (KCS), New Brunswick, for baseline data collection (oceanographic measurements) for new site development and site expansions