Public Consultation on Aquaculture Regulations
Nova Scotians are invited to share their feedback on the Province’s aquaculture regulations during four weeks of public consultation.
“Since December, we’ve met with community stakeholders, industry representatives and public sector partners to understand their perspectives and hear their thoughts on how we could improve our aquaculture regulations. And now, we want to hear from Nova Scotians,” said Steve Craig, Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture. “You don’t need to be an expert to be part of this process. If you live in this province and have an interest in its future, we’d love to hear from you.”
The current aquaculture regulations, developed following an 18-month independent review, have been in place since 2015. They reflect best practices of experienced aquaculture regions around the world and recommendations from the Province’s auditor general at the time.
Public consultation is open from today, August 9, to September 6. People can provide feedback through an online survey with six open-ended questions. A public input guide with an overview of aquaculture in Nova Scotia and a summary of the current regulatory framework is also available. The survey and guide are at: https://novascotia.ca/aquaculture-regulatory-review-public-consultation
Meetings with stakeholders are ongoing, as is engagement with Mi’kmaq communities and municipalities.
The Nova Scotia Aquaculture Regulatory Advisory Committee is directing the regulatory review. Terrance Paul, Chief and CEO of Membertou First Nation, and April Howe, Deputy Minister, Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, are co-chairs of the committee, which includes representatives from the aquaculture and fisheries industries, municipalities, First Nations, environmental groups and other community stakeholders. The committee will consider stakeholder feedback and public input in making recommendations to the Minister on how the regulations may be improved.
Quotes:
“A commitment to continuous improvement means taking the time to reflect on our priorities, learn from lived experience, listen to differing viewpoints, and understand what’s most important to the people in our communities. This is the right time to step back and do that with our aquaculture regulations. If there are opportunities to improve on the framework in place today, this review will help us identify them.”
– Chief Terrance Paul, Co-Chair, Nova Scotia Aquaculture Regulatory Advisory Committee
Quick Facts:
- the 2013-14 independent review was led by environmental law experts Meinhard Doelle and William Lahey
- there are 235 marine and land-based aquaculture sites in Nova Scotia
- the industry employs nearly 900 people and contributes $90 million per year to the provincial economy
- the advisory committee hired a third-party consultant, Davis Pier, to lead stakeholder engagement during the review
Additional Resources:
The final report of the Independent Aquaculture Regulatory Review for Nova Scotia (Doelle-Lahey Report): https://novascotia.ca/fish/documents/Aquaculture_Regulatory_Framework_Final_04Dec14.pdf
More information on the current regulatory review is available at: https://novascotia.ca/fish/aquaculture/laws-regs/aquaculture-regulatory-review.asp