Oyster growers say the Covehead community council is undermining the area’s aquaculture industry and using its own tax dollars to do it.
Robbie Moore, a lobster fisherman and oyster grower in West Covehead, made a presentation to the North Shore Community Council during a meeting Wednesday night and accused the group’s environmental committee of promoting a “thinly veiled agenda against the aquaculture industry.”
During a December meeting, council voted to apply for the province’s community development fund which would see the province and municipality both provide matching funds of $15,000 with an objective of defining “potential issues and gaps around the upcoming DFO (Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada) Covehead Bay review and strategies the (council) will need to consider contributing to the Covehead Bay Sustainability Plan”.
“I have a major problem when my municipal tax dollars are being spent in an attempt to attack my livelihood,” said Moore. “You are taking our very limited community tax dollars to try to take on the federal government. I can assure you, you’ve done nothing with our money but flush it down the drain…. If you want to take on the federal government, do that on your own dime.”
A community meeting held last year saw concerns raised over aquaculture in the Covehead Bay, especially over the “off-bottom” oyster leases that are grown in cages visible from shore. There were worries over an application to modify a portion of the area’s mussel leases to “off-bottom” oyster leases and how further aquaculture expansion could compromise water quality, sustainability and recreation on the bay.
It resulted in a group calling for a long-term management or sustainability plan from DFO.
Moore and other fishermen say the DFO has already researched the effects of aquaculture.
Resident Mervyn Misener, who is also a member of the Eastern Fishermen’s Federation, said council was fighting a losing battle.
“Aquaculture is here to stay. I think this is just a waste of taxpayers money,” he said.
Council chairman Gordon Ellis said he appreciated Moore’s comments but said some of the information presented was new to council.
“You’ve made some comments that question the way we’ve done things, and I think councillors deserve a chance to absorb that and respond to that in due time,” he said.
Moore had also said the ordeal had cost him money personally.
He said he had to hire a lawyer after a freedom of information request was made regarding his leases.
“Your agenda is now personally costing me money,” he said.
Moore also said a small portion of Covehead Bay is currently farmed for aquaculture, while areas like Mill River and Foxley River are nearing full capacity.
“DFO is one of the most powerful departments in the federal government. By rattling their cages and bringing attention to the bay… you may actually achieve the exact opposite goal that you are looking for,” he said.
