Premier announces surprise moratorium on Port Mouton Bay fish farming

He made the announcement during his speech at a South Queens Chamber of Commerce Meet and Greet.

Darlene Norman said, "I really want to thank everybody who worked so hard on this for these past three years." She added she plans to personally telephone everyone who is involved with the group.

Premier MacDonald said the reasons are related to the area's protected lands, including Carter's Beach, and "because we're listening to the community."

Norman also thanked Queens MLA Vicki Conrad for her work and for promising to maintain the moratorium in the event a NDP government is formed in the future. Conrad personally thanked the Premier as well. "So many people here have done so much," she said.

Norman said with a laugh she plans to invite Premier MacDonald to the group's upcoming celebration.

Aqua Fish Farms Ltd. applied about seven years ago to develop a 28-hectare (70 acres) salmon farm. It would have been the largest salmon site in Nova Scotia.

Friends of Port Mouton Bay, utilizing scientists, fishermen, environmental groups, academics and residents in general, carried out numerous scientific studies in hopes of persuading Transport Canada to reject the application at the Environmental Assessment stage. No decision had been made although Friends members claimed they were advised it was against them.

The primary argument was the bay didn't flush waste properly as it is a basin, which could destroy the area's pristine environment and therefore tourism, new home construction and, most of all, the area's historic lobster fishery.

A spokesperson from Cooke Aquaculture, which only recently became the major shareholder in the company, said in a past interview officials wanted to meet with community members to discuss their allegations and try to prove the development wouldn't hurt the bay.

Premier MacDonald also discussed the government's newly released stimulus plan and Queens Co. issues in particular. He said under questioning the long-awaited Queens General Hospital expansion and improvement is still a priority, but that he can't provide a firm date yet for a funding announcement, the government is looking at utilizing more Nova Scotia lumber when buildings under the plan are renovated or constructed, that Highway 103 announcements will be made soon, maybe as early as tomorrow, and that a new South Queens Junior High School building would probably take longer to fund than an Addition, although he promised to talk to Department of Education officials to provide a clearer answer.

More details on the speech will be forthcoming.