Provincial government supports aquaculture
The following release appeared on the web site of the New Brunswick Department of Agriculture and Aquaculture late last week, demonstrating the province’s continued strong support for the aquaculture industry;
The provincial government is providing financial support aimed at ensuring the ongoing development of the aquaculture industry on New Brunswick's east coast. Agriculture and Aquaculture Minister Ronald Ouellette announced the support today during Fisheries and Aquaculture Day, in Shippagan. "Aquaculture is an important industry in New Brunswick and has become the cornerstone of the economy in a number of communities," said Ouellette. "The investment announced today shows our government's ongoing commitment to helping this industry achieve its full potential."
The provincial government is investing $798,000 (~€ 583,000) in the Coastal Zones Research Institute, located in Shippagan, to support operating costs as well as research activities that focus on three main components: aquaculture, marine products, and peat. This contribution comes from the Department of Agriculture and Aquaculture, the Regional Development Corporation, and the Department of Natural Resources.
Ouellette also announced funding of $184,000 (~€ 135,000) to support various research projects benefiting New Brunswick's east coast aquaculture industry. These activities are designed to support the development or evaluation of production techniques and equipment. This contribution is expected to generate investments of more than one million dollars.
The funding provides resources for 10 projects, among them;
- Evaluation of confinement system and maturation rate in a lot of rainbow trout
- Bay Scallop Culture as a Viable Diversification for the Aquaculture Industry
- Bay-scale filtration of cultivated oysters in relation to tidal flushing and phytoplankton renewal
- Environmental assessment – Sulphite concentration in Caraquet and Bedeque bays
- Construction of a warehouse with refrigerated storage
New Brunswick is the second largest aquaculture producer in Canada, with $198.2 million in farm gate receipts and annual sales of value-added products totalling $329.6 million in 2008.
