Reports of Debris at Aquaculture Site Being Investigated

Reports of gear adrift near an aquaculture site on Long Island, Digby Co., are being investigated by fisheries inspectors.

The department was told Tuesday, April 21, that gear and other fish-pen debris was seen adrift near the site. It contacted the operator immediately and there are no fish at the site.

Weather permitting, inspectors will visit the site later today to determine if there is debris, and if steps need to be taken by the operator.

“We’ve made our commitment to transparency very clear,” said Fisheries and Aquaculture Minister Keith Colwell. “We want the public to know when there is a concern about aquaculture and what we are doing to ensure that the industry is operating in a safe and environmentally responsible way.

“Once we have finished our site investigation, we will be determining the next steps and we’ll make that known to the public.”

Source: Release