Salmon pulled from Bay of Fundy fish farm

An aquaculture company is removing salmon from a controversial fish farm in the upper Bay of Fundy after encountering problems in raising the fish.

Cooke Aquaculture last year received a fish farm licence for Haley's Cove, near Chance Harbour, about 25 kilometres from Saint John, but only began farming the site this spring.

Nell Halse, the company's communications director, said the tide has proved to be too high and the current too strong at the site.

"This is not an optimum place to grow fish the way we are doing it today … and rather than risk having any problems with fish loss or mortalities, it would be better to move them for this grow-out, and rethink our plans for this site," she said Tuesday.

Commercial fishermen and environmental groups opposed licensing Haley's Cove in the first place.

Dave Thompson of Fundy Baykeeper, an environmental group, said it was predicted the site would fail because of the high tides and strong currents.

"The local community, the commercial fishermen and environmental groups such as ourselves strongly opposed any approval of this site at the time, and presented all kinds of information and wisdom and evidence and the government approved this site," Thompson said.

He hopes the natural fishery can resume in the area, with the fish farm gone.

But, Halse said, Cooke Aquaculture has no intention of giving up its fish farm licence, and may return to the site once they figure out how to successfully grow salmon there.