Caviar company Breviro could see fish stock go to rival

The head of Acadian Sturgeon has confirmed his company is in talks to take ownership of thousands of live fish once owned by troubled Breviro Caviar.

The fish are being held at a hatchery in the northern community ofCharlo.

CornelCeapa, thechief executive officer of Acadian Sturgeon,whose company markets both sturgeon caviar and sturgeon meat, said he is looking to buy the fish.

"I'll do anything I can to save the fish," saidCeapa.

"It's very complex. We're in the middle of negotiations."

Jonathan Barry, the president of Breviro Caviar, could not be reached Monday for comment.

He has acknowledged in recent monthsthat he is trying to keep the business going.

He told CBC Newthe company has been caught up in massive changes in the global market at a time when U.S. regulators denied it access to the lucrative American market.

A representative from the Department of Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries has confirmed the department is picking up the bill to pay a worker to care for the sturgeon at Breviro's northern facility.

In the meantime it is not clear what has happened to another sturgeon population at Breviro's facility in Pennfield, in southern New Brunswick.

The gate at the aquaculture operation was locked Monday, there were no vehicles parked inside and no sign of activity.

Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries Minister Rick Doucet is saying little about the Breviro file.

"The aquaculture firm there is just going through some economic problems but we're working together on them right now," said Doucet.

"My understanding is they're trying to wrap things up to a conclusion there.

Since 2011, the company has received a total of $300,000 from Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, a $500,000 investment from the New Brunswick Innovation Foundationand $135,000 from the provincial government.

A company newsletter lists the New Brunswick Investment Management Corp., a provincial government agency, as a "major shareholder."

The amount invested by the NBIMC is not identified, but under the "Investment Criteria" heading on the NBIMC website the "Preferred Minimum" is listed at $2 million.