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VICTORIA
– The Ministry of Agriculture and
Lands has issued two finfish and two shellfish aquaculture licences.
The two finfish
licences have been issued to Marine Harvest and are located at Lime Point and
adjacent Sheep Passage near the village of Klemtu on the central coast of B.C.
In a separate statutory approval, the ministry approved the offering of two
Crown land tenures to Kitasoo Aqua Farms Ltd. for these sites.
Numerous
parties were consulted on these applications, including the Canadian Coast
Guard, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Environment Canada, the First Nations
groups in the area, the Regional District of Kitimat-Stikine, the Raincoast
Conservation Society and the public.
In support of
licensing decisions for Sheep Passage and Lime Point, Marine Harvest and
Kitasoo have advised the ministry they will be relinquishing the tenure and
aquaculture licence at Arthur Island, located south of Jackson Passage, and the
pursuance of licensing the site offered at Oscar Pass.
Shellfish
licences have been approved for an operation located at McBride Bay in Smith
Sound on the central coast and another operation based on private land in
Langley.
The
McBride Bay shellfish operation is a combination deepwater and beach culture
site for Pacific oyster, Japanese scallop, Manila clam, butter clam and
Nuttall’s cockle and lies within the traditional territory of the
Gwa’sala-‘Nakwaxda’xw First Nation (GNFN).
The Langley shellfish operation will convert
a vacant greenhouse into a state-of-the-art closed containment facility raising
tropical shrimp. Cultured shrimp are the largest commodity in global
aquaculture and this site has the potential to bring this sustainable and
proven industry to B.C.
The ministry is
currently reviewing the recommendations from the Special Legislative Committee
on Sustainable Aquaculture, which, combined with recommendations from the
Pacific Salmon Forum, may ultimately lead to policy changes as part of the
Provincial Aquaculture Strategy.
All decisions on aquaculture licences in
British Columbia are based on the following principles: fairness; transparency;
efficiency; accountability; protection of public health and safety; protection
of the environment; and sustainable economic development.
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Public Affairs Officer Ministry of Agriculture and Lands 250 356-1674 250 812-8368 (cell) |
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