Green Party Leader Thomas Trappenberg calls for a ban on open pen aquaculture.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, April 2

The Green Party of Nova Scotia calls for a ban on open pen aquaculture.  South Shore communities are clear, demanding protection for their coastal waters.  Thomas Trappenberg, the leader of the provincial Green Party say constituents must be respected.

“There is direct evidence that open pen aquaculture poisons ocean waters.  Fish waste, disease, and contamination from medicines destroys traditional fisheries, on which South Shore families depend.” said Trappenberg.  “The community has spoken: no open pen fish farms here.”

Thomas has an inside operational perspective on the industry.  An internationally trained scientist and professor at Dalhousie University, he helped startup Reel Data AI develop artificial intelligence (AI) systems for the much safer land based aquaculture industry.  “Doing the right thing for the environment does not mean saying no to strong economic development.” says Thomas.  “A safe, regulated, land based aquaculture industry creates quality food and jobs.  Nova Scotia has what it takes to be the world leader in this.”

Trappenberg has worked with South Shore community-led initiatives for years, supporting local groups like the Protect Liverpool Bay Association as the first federal political candidate calling for a national ban on open-pen aquaculture.  Together they pushed hard to stop massive salmon feedlots that were being forced on Nova Scotians by Cooke Aquaculture and the Federal Liberal government.

Another important issue with the industry is that it takes in more in that it provides.  “The evidence is clear: open pen fish farms struggle to produce as much food energy as they absorb in operation.” says Thomas, “Often they resort to just scraping our ocean bottoms of sea life to get enough fish food.  That is a price Nova Scotia and our environment cannot afford.”

Green Party of Nova Scotia principles include: