LICENCE RENEWAL DECISION HAS BEEN RELEASED
THE OPERATING LICENCE FOR THE SADDLE ISLAND SITE
HAS BEEN RENEWED FOR ANOTHER TEN YEARS.​
Twin Bays Coalition thanks you.
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To every resident and supporter who spoke up during the public input period on the renewal of the Saddle Island open net pen site—we are deeply grateful. It takes courage, time, and conviction to raise your voice. Thank you.
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To those we met in person, your support confirmed what we’ve been telling government for years: these net pens are not wanted in your communities, and for good reason. To those who we didn’t meet directly but still took the time to submit your opposition—you matter just as much, and we thank you too.
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The response was extraordinary. According to the Aquaculture Administrator, 132 submissions were received—only one was rejected and the remainder opposed the renewal. 131 opposed - that is a powerful statement of community will.
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Despite this overwhelming opposition, the licence was renewed for another ten years. You can read the decision here: https://novascotia.ca/fish/aquaculture/public-information/public-notice/2025.09.12-Decision-AQ1006.pdf
Decision on Application to Renew a Marine Aquaculture Licence
This is not the end of the story. Leases have been renewed in the past but abandoned by industry. At Saddle Island, aeration equipment arrived on 29 August, the feed barge has only operated intermittently since then and the collection of dead salmon has been observed likely because of high water temperatures. There is a possibility that they will reconsider further restocking. Who knows?
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If you read the decision, you’ll also see multiple opportunities to challenge how the Aquaculture Administrator handled this file. If you notice a point worth pursuing, please reach out—we will be following up with government. Note that most of our input was dismissed as "speculative or subjective". The 163 page Twin Bays input was reduced to about 38 pages because the Aquaculture Administrator removed nine of our attachments within the submission.
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Here’s what you can do now:
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Contact your MLA and clearly voice your disapproval of this decision.
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Report anything you see at the site that concerns you. We have been told you can use this e-mail to contact the company: jennifer.hewitt@cookeaqua.com and please copy us at twinbayscoalition@gmail.com
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If you wish, we can act on your behalf with Kelly Cove Salmon, as we’ve already done recently.
Together, we have made it clear: this community does not accept open net pens in our waters.
Again - Thank You!
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Bayswater Beach is under threat.
Over the past six years, the beach has degraded—visibly and dramatically. A major cause? Evidence points directly to the open net pens at Saddle Island Site #1006, about one kilometre away.
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Here is a video of conditions at their worst...
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In 2018, without regulatory review or approval, Site #1006 was expanded and relocated. The Nova Scotia Government allowed it to happen.
• About 440,000 salmon were stocked. Prevailing currents pushed uneaten feed, animal waste, and debris toward Bayswater Beach.
• By Fall 2020, the beach was uninhabitable. Hazardous hydrogen sulphide and other gases bubbled up through black coloured sand. Long-time residents had never seen anything like it.
• This event coincided with Hurricane Teddy and the first harvest at the expanded and relocated site.
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Regulatory Inaction
• The operator has a documented history of exceeding pollution limits—with zero consequences.
• Two net pens are currently operating outside their legal boundaries, violating the provincial Fisheries and Coastal Resources Act.
• A formal complaint confirmed this. Still, no enforcement.
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A Coastal Community Impacted
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The pens are close to homes—both permanent and seasonal.
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In warmer waters, fish struggle to breathe; industrial aerators are needed and run 24/7.
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A feed barge is on site.
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As the fish approach harvest weight, the net pens are lit at night.
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The generators used to power this equipment are noisy and operate 24/7.
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Lights, noise, feed barges, net pens - all part of daily life for nearby residents.
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Beachgoers wonder why the beach seems different.
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Bayswater is featured in a CBC documentary at about 14 minutes in.
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This Site Should Never Have Been Approved
• According to scientific assessments, Site #1006 is too shallow and lacks the current strength needed to support this kind of aquaculture.
• A Cooke Aquaculture spokesperson stated it’s “one of the smallest in Atlantic Canada.” Twin Bays believes the relocation and expansion that took place in 2018, has had a disproportionately negative impact on Bayswater Beach Provincial Park.
BAYSWATER BEACH
Within our bays, we have one open net-pen finfish operation at Aspotogan Harbour near Bayswater Beach Provincial Park, just up the coast from Blandford.
The operator has applied to the Aquaculture Review Board (ARB) for a lease expansion, but there's a catch: the expansion has already happened. The Twin Bays Coalition plans to intervene in the ARB hearing that will decide on this retroactive approval.
Why do we care about this? Check out our BAYSWATER page to learn more about the beach and the apparent impacts the fish farm expansion has had on the local environment.
THE TWIN BAYS COALITION STORY
The Twin Bays Coalition first came together to fend off a massive open net-pen salmon farming proposal by Cermaq Canada that would have forever changed the nature of our bays. In the face of terrific public opposition, Cermaq packed up and left officially in April of 2020, abandoning development plans. The very next day, Cooke Aquaculture reaffirmed their plans to significantly increase the amount of farmed salmon currently produced in Nova Scotia. Now they are continuing with expansion plans throughout the province, including at Saddle Island, on the Aspotogan Peninsula. This site, known as AQ # 1006, Aspotogan Harbour, has become the new focal point of our local efforts.
