Dear Friends:
We find ourselves yet again in opposition to our own government and the aquaculture industry. Cermaq, a giant multi-national aquaculture firm (owned by Mitsubishi) has been granted options to install industrial size open pen salmon farms in the pristine waters of St Margaret’s Bay, Mahone Bay, Lunenburg Bay, the mouth of the LaHave River, St Mary’s Bay and large parts of Guysborough and Richmond Counties.
Friends of Nature is proud to be a co- founder of the Twin Bays Coalition. I encourage you to have a look at: TwinBays.ca.
Our campaign includes meeting with government at all levels. Upcoming municipal council presentations are listed below. It is very important that we fill the visitor’s gallery at each of these and I urge you to attend as many as you can.
1. Tuesday, Jan 21, 0900 Municipality of the District of Lunenburg, (located in Bridgewater) council presentation.
2. Sunday, Jan 26, 2:00 pm, Council of Canadians Public meeting, Mahone Bay Centre
3. Monday, Jan 27, 6:00 pm, Town of Bridgewater, council presentation.
4. Thursday Jan 30, 9:00 am, Chester Municipality, council presentation.
5. Thursday Jan 30, 7:00 pm, Town of Mahone Bay, council presentation.
6. Tuesday, Feb 11, 5:15 pm, Town of Lunenburg, council presentation
In addition, Friends of Nature will be participating in the following event, which I hope you can also attend:
The South Shore Chapter of the Council of Canadians, in partnership with the Twin Bays Coalition, is presenting a meeting, “There’s still time to protect our bays: Say No to open-net fish farming”. In light of the NS government’s giving an option to Japanese aquaculture giant, Cermaq, to explore putting open-net pens in St. Margaret’s and Mahone Bays, this public meeting will examine the risks associated with open-net fish farming. Open-net pens, which are being eliminated in BC, threaten our environment though disease, parasites, toxic chemicals and more.
The event will include presentations from the Ecology Action Centre, the Twin Bays Coalition, Protect Liverpool Bay, St. Mary’s Bay Protectors, and the Association for the Preservation of the Eastern Shore. Excerpts of the film, Salmon Wars: Wild Fish, Aquaculture and the Future of Communities, will be shown; a short film on a Nova Scotia land-based alternative to open-net pens will also be presented. There will be opportunities for discussion among panelists and questions / comments from the audience will be encouraged as we address an issue that is a concern in communities throughout the province.
The event will be held on Sunday, January 26, 2020, 2 pm at the Mahone Bay Centre (45 School St., Mahone Bay). Light refreshments will be served. Admission is free, but donations will be gratefully received to cover costs. Everyone is welcome to attend.
With best wishes,
Syd Dumaresq
Chair, Friends of Nature