A project aimed at increasing the province’s salmon aquaculture is moving to the next stage of environmental assessment.

Northern Harvest Smolt is looking to expand its Indian Head Hatchery in Stephenville.

The expansion will provide smolts to the licensed sea cages that belong to Northern Harvest Sea Farms, thus increasing production capacity and the quality of salmon smolts produced.

The project was first registered over five years ago.

Now, the company has submitted an environmental preview report to government.

Public comments on the report are being accepted until September 13, with a decision from Minister Bernard Davis due 10 days later. They can be emailed to the Chair of the Environmental Assessment Committee, John Reynolds, at johnreynolds@gov.nl.ca, or to EAProjectComments@gov.nl.ca.