Shelburne NS – Cooke Aquaculture, an Atlantic Canadian family company, welcomes the news that two new salmon farms have been approved for the Jordan Bay area near Shelburne, Nova Scotia. These new farms will contribute to the further development of the Company’s expansion plans - for developing a science-based, globally competitive, sustainable aquaculture sector in Southwestern Nova Scotia.
“We are already partnering with the Province of Nova Scotia on a significant investment in the province’s aquaculture sector – one that will bring hundreds of new jobs to the region” says Glenn Cooke, CEO. “Since June 2011, we have hired 23 new employees in Meteghan and 5 in the Digby area and have been impressed with the quality of our Nova Scotia workforce. Their expertise and history of working in the marine environment is a great asset to our operations. The Jordan Bay farms will complement our production in the Shelburne area and we look forward to hiring 27 additional people as we prepare to stock the area’s farms in the spring of 2013.
Cooke is in the process of designing a new state of the art hatchery for the Digby area and a processing facility in Shelburne.
“Our investment in Nova Scotia will be underpinned by an ongoing commitment to innovation, continuous improvement and sustainability,” added Mr. Cooke. “We will continue to rely on partnerships with the region’s world-class universities and research institutions for science expertise on best management practices, specifically in the areas of fish health and environmental protection.”
Both the Government of Canada and the Province of Nova Scotia have taken a lengthy and comprehensive review of our applications to meet the rigorous requirements of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act. During this review, which took more than 26 months, comments from all stakeholders: members of the community, fishermen, conservation groups and business leaders were considered to make sure their concerns were addressed. “
We applaud the commitment Premier Dexter has made to the people of Nova Scotia with the Aquaculture Strategy and the environment by relying on science-based risk assessments for this decision. Today’s decision is an important step in creating many new jobs for Nova Scotia’s coastal and rural communities.
This is very positive news for the Province of Nova Scotia, the Shelburne area and Cooke. We are extremely grateful for the support that we have received from local community members, including those in the fishing community and local organizations, and from Town and Municipal Councils.
Cooke has responded to community concerns by opening storefront offices in Shelburne and Digby, by hiring a NS Regional Communications Officer, and by launching a Nova Scotia microsite to provide information in an open and transparent manner. www.aquaculturegrowsns.com
We look forward to working with the Shelburne community to ensure these projects benefit everyone for the long-term…from those who will be directly employed to those who benefit from spin-off opportunities from this investment.
While this news is focused on the Shelburne area, it is also good news for other parts of the province. It will allow us to work with both levels of government on our expansion plans for the Shelburne and Digby areas and for our feed mill in Truro. These investments will not only lead to new direct jobs in these areas but also to many indirect and spinoff jobs.
About Cooke Aquaculture
Today, with over 2200 employees and salmon and trout operations in Atlantic Canada, Maine and Chile as well as sea bass and sea bream operations in Spain, the company generates more than $570 million in sales. Cooke Aquaculture is the largest fully integrated and independent salmon farming company in North America and also owns shares in local seafood companies. Through its Marketing and Sales Division, True North Salmon, Cooke sells a broad spectrum of fresh seafood products into the Canadian and US marketplace.
Source: Cooke Aquaculture