Marine Harvest Canada, a salmon farming company, has now transferred ownership of a freshwater salmon farm to the Quatsino First Nation. The company has future plans for the new healing centre which include providing a healthy environment for healing as well as raising fish in the aquaculture facility.
Quatsino Chief Tom Nelson said that it is pleasure to provide the people with this type of therapy centre on the North Island, that will provide First Nation people recovering from health or social issues a chance to return back home to a healthy environment and continue their healing.
As per the information the new facility includes accommodation buildings, fish rearing equipment and aquaculture license and operates within the traditional territory of the Quatsino First Nation at Victoria Lake. Vincent Erenst, Managing Director at Marine Harvest, points to new recirculation technology advancements at its Sayward North hatchery facility as the reason for divestment of the Victoria Lake site.
He said that it is good to have such a use of this property. The site includes a turn-key aquaculture facility which the band can use for rearing fish. This will allow the band to teach people valuable life skills, create jobs as well as creating economic opportunities for the band. Band members and Marine Harvest staff will gather to celebrate the transfer of the facility to the Quatsino First Nation on Sept. 25th.
