New coalition urging N.L. not to buy a $45M stake in Grieg's salmon farming project

A new coalition calling for tougher regulation of the aquaculture industry says it would be unacceptable for the Newfoundland and Labrador government to buy a multi-million dollar stake in a massive salmon farming project in Placentia Bay.

"It's a conflict of interest," says Leo White, one of the founders of the Newfoundlandand Labrador Coalition for Aquaculture Reform(NL-CAR).

"Someone who's got a $45 millionstake, that makes them a big shareholder. And then to be responsible for oversight and regulation of that project at the same time it's impossible."

The coalition held its first news conference in St. John's Tuesday morning.NL-CARis made up of more than 20 organizations, including conservation, environmental and indigenous groups,academics and scientists.

White said the government's proposed investment isn't the way the province's money should be spent.

If we don't have an environmental assessment process to participate in, what else can we do?- Leo White

"If the industry is going to come here it should be sustainable, it should be able to look after itself," he said. "It should not need public money."

The previous provincialgovernment signed a memorandum of understanding to buy a $45 million dollar stake in a Griegaquaculture project that has been proposed for the Placentia Bay area.

The currentgovernment says it hasn't yet decided if it will honour that.

But Griegtold CBC Newsthe future of the project depends on that money.

• Provincial investment 'absolutely necessary' for massivePlacentiaBayaquacultureproject

Environmental assessment sparks challenge

White, who is also the vice-president of Salmonid Council of Newfoundland and Labrador, said NL-CAR'sformation was sparked by the provincial government's decision to release the proposed quarter-billion-dollar salmon farming project from any further environmental assessment.

We are not anti aquaculture.- Leo White

Grieg NL Nurseries Ltd. and Grieg NL Seafarms have registered a plan that includes a new $75-million, state-of-the-art hatchery/nursery facility in Marystown that will produce seven million smolts annually to stock 11 sea cage sites for a harvest of 33,000 tonnes of Atlantic salmon.

It's proposing four areas will be developed along the western side of Placentia Bay and near Long Harbour, and is expecting that to create more than 300 jobs.

In July 2016, then-minister of environment and climate change, Perry Trimper, released theprojectfrom further environmental assessment. That decision was appealed, but in OctoberTrimperannounced the decision would stand.

• No further environmental assessment forPlacentiaBay salmon farm plan:Trimper
• GriegNLSeafarmssaysPlacentiaBay project is sustainable, environmentally responsible

"That was the catalyst," said White.

"We felt if we don't have an environmental assessment process to participate in, what else can we do? One thing was to challenge it in court which we are doing and the other is to form a broad based coalition."

The court case challenging the government's decision is due to be heard in court in St. John's on March 30 and 31.

• Salmon federation wants Supreme Court to send $250M aquaculture project back to square one

Coalition not opposed to aquaculture

White said the coalition fears salmon farming has already done extensive damage to the province's wild salmon populations, but added the group isnot opposed to the development and growth of aquaculture.

"We are not anti-aquaculture," said White.

"We think that jobs are important and if the industry develops using closed containment on land or in the ocean(instead of with open sea cages) in my view there would be more jobs associated with that, not less."

• DFO study confirms 'widespread' mating of farmed, wild salmon in N.L.

NL-CARwas not formed solely to deal with the Grieg proposal, Whitesaid, and whatever happens with Grieg, the coalition will continueto advocate for stricterregulation ofaquaculture, as well asgreater public involvement.