Tag Archives: Kris Vascotto
Clearwater Seafood selling N.S. lobster facility, announces temporary layoffs
Clearwater Seafoods is making big changes to its inshore lobster business and is temporarily laying off workers at its Arichat, N.S. processing facility. Employees were informed Wednesday that the layoffs were effective the same day, and that it was anticipated they would be recalled back to work by a new owner around the first week of May. “We are currently in late-stage negotiations to sell our Arichat live lobster holding facility to an experienced local operator, and we will no longer operate the seasonal lobster processing line at our Lockeport facility,” wrote Christine Penney, vice-president of sustainability and public affairs. Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 12:53
Nova Scotia taking more steps toward offshore wind development
Nova Scotia is stepping closer to the development of offshore wind farms in its open waters, but the success of the province’s pursuit is far from certain. In the past two weeks, the provincial and federal governments formalized the regulatory body that will oversee offshore wind development, announced their membership in the Global Offshore Wind Alliance, and received a report that’s meant to guide their next steps. But there are obstacles to overcome. Another challenge, according to Daborn, is finding a way to support offshore wind while also protecting existing ocean industries. “We have a great deal of concern, particularly about the fisheries, and it is clear that we wouldn’t want to sacrifice the fisheries in any real way in order just to produce some electrons,” he said. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:48
N.S. premier clarifies his government stands by Georges Bank moratorium
Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston says his government will respect the oil and gas development moratorium for Georges Bank and he’s blaming unnamed special interest groups looking to “promote falsehoods” for a misunderstanding of his position on the matter. The premier made the comments in a letter he sent fishing industry representatives several days after saying his government would be open to revisiting the decades-old development moratorium around the valuable and productive fishing grounds. “This narrative grew because special interests aligned to promote falsehoods,” Houston wrote in the letter. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 14:56
Suggested areas for offshore wind around N.S. swell in size
Offshore areas around Nova Scotia recommended for wind energy projects have ballooned in size in the latest version of a report for government, troubling some in the fishing industry who are bracing for disruptions. The draft final report comes from the regional assessment committee, which was tasked by the province and Ottawa two years ago to investigate the potential impacts of offshore wind development on Nova Scotia. It describes eight potential development areas that cover a total of 31,200 square kilometres. The areas stretch from the tip of George’s Bank southwest of Nova Scotia, up the Atlantic coastline and around Cape Breton Island. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:14
N.L. government seeks injunction against fishermen amid tense protest at Confederation Building
The Newfoundland and Labrador government has gone to the Supreme Court to seek an injunction against fish harvesters who swarmed Confederation Building on Wednesday as part of an ongoing protest over fishery regulations that has led to the postponement of the provincial budget. The government announced the postponement after protesters blocked entrances to the building, refused to let government workers inside and had physical confrontations with police officers and horses. A protester complaining of leg pain and a Royal Newfoundland Constabulary officer have been taken from the scene in an ambulance. Protest organizer John Efford Jr. called the budget cancellation historic.”And I have a feeling it may be cancelled again tomorrow, the next business day and the next business day until we get what ? Free enterprise,” he said. Video’s, Photos, more, >>click to read<< 10:53
Fisheries minister commits to lifting processing caps, looking for outside buyers ahead of 2024 crab season
Fisheries Minister Elvis Loveless says he’s willing to meet some of the demands tabled by fish harvesters and their union amid continued protests. In a letter written to the Fish, Food and Allied Workers union on Tuesday — and on the eve of announcing the provincial budget for 2024 — Loveless told union president Greg Pretty the province is committed to raising processing capacity “in the primary processing sector” prior to the start of the 2024 fishery. However, the extent of the increase will be informed, in part, by the total allowable catch that is yet to be announced by the federal fisheries minister. Further, Loveless said his department will issue an expression of interest for outside buyers for the 2024 snow crab fishery on Tuesday. more, >>click to read<< 15:44
Woefully inadequate – DFO’s science on impact of seal population doesn’t go nearly far enough
Efforts by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans to measure the impact of the massive seal population in Atlantic Canada are “woefully inadequate,” according to a newly released task force report. The industry-led report, which was commissioned by DFO, disputes the department’s claims that, for the most part, seals are not harming fish populations. Industry has long argued that seals are having significant impacts on groundfish stocks, pelagic stocks, shellfish and salmon. >click to read< 09:13
Facebook to begin laying cable through fishing grounds off Nova Scotia
Installation of a transatlantic submarine telecommunications cable for tech giant Facebook on the seabed off southern Nova Scotia is set to begin as soon as this week. The Canadian portion of the route will take the cable through fishing grounds and the Fundian Channel, an area being considered for designation as a Marine Protected Area because of its deepsea corals and sponges. Fishing groups in Nova Scotia say their feedback was ignored, including a suggested routing that would avoid key fishing grounds. “The consultation here was largely non-existent,” said Kris Vascotto with the Atlantic Groundfish Council, which represents large fishing companies in the region. >click to read< 09:06
Meta to install controversial sea-floor cable – Canadian fishermen say Mark Zuckerberg’s company has gone over their heads It’s not clear who besides Meta will have access to the 3.8cm-wide (1.5-inches) fiber optic cable, or what they will have to pay the multi-billion-dollar company for the privilege of using it. >click to read<
