David Thompson of the Conservation Council of New Brunswick said that the proposed site is very near to the Musquash marine protected area, which would present a hazard to the sensitive ecosystem there. He added that the proposal presents a dual problem, not only to the protected area but also to the only significant salmon stocks on the Atlantic coast remaining.
According to Thompson the Musquash site was designated in 2006 is the only marine protected area which serves as a benchmark for monitoring the whole Bay of Fundy. He informed that the Musquash site have every kind of species and every kind of environment in that small estuary at some time of the year.
Thompson informed that the proposed aquaculture site is also adjacent to waters where wild Atlantic salmon gathers to acclimatize before moving into the fresh water of the Saint John River, and could pose a problem for those stocks. He expressed that the federal Fisheries Department should never allow an application to use the area for industrial purposes.
New Brunswick Aquaculture Minister Ronald Ouellette said that his department will conduct a thorough evaluation process over the next month or so and would make the council and others aware of the recommendations.
