It didn’t take long for the incident that resulted in the deaths of 2.6-million salmon in Fortune Bay this summer to hit the floor of the House of Assembly.
Fisheries Minister Gerry Byrne says there are two things that need to happen before the province will reinstate Mowi’s aquaculture licences.
Byrne says they will finish their investigation, and then know exactly the extent of the incident.
(Photo courtesy Atlantic Salmon Federation.)
He says he will not pre-suppose what exactly they will demand of the company in order to have their licences restored, until he knows the full facts of the situation.
The Minister says they need to fully understand the consequences to the pens and the immediate area around them.
Byrne says he respects and appreciates that people are looking for a specific and final answer, but he’s not in a position to provide that information. He insists no suspended licences will be returned to anyone, until he is fully satisfied that these sites can be used for farming fish, and can do it successfully.
Premier Ball and Minister Byrne have a meeting with the CEO of Mowi in St. John’s on Thursday afternoon. Byrne says he asked the CEO to come to the province for a meeting.
Fisheries Critic Challenges Byrne’s Leadership
Meanwhile, the opposition fisheries critic believes Gerry Byrne should be replaced as Minister of Fisheries and Land Resources.
Kevin Parsons says people on the south coast should have confidence in Byrne’s leadership, but they don’t.
Parsons says aquaculture is an important industry for this province, and proper leadership is needed to ensure the industry survives and is both economically and environmentally sustainable.
Parsons says nobody wants to see a situation like this one again.
Premier Backs Minister
Premier Ball was quick to defend Minister Byrne.
Ball says if he didn’t have confidence in Gerry Byrne, then Byrne would not be in cabinet. He says it has been a difficult few weeks for the industry, but there is still a lot of great work happening.
Premier Ball says things will change in terms of existing regulations and reporting mechanisms. He says they’re committed to the aquaculture industry, and that it is creating lots of work in Newfoundland and Labrador.
