A group of persons interested in the aquaculture potential of Fortune Bay gathered at the Lion's Club in Harbour Breton to hear Dennis Rose, Aquaculture Development Officer with the Coast of Bays Corporation, describe the techniques used to collect data, the purpose of the study and the results of the twelve month study. The study was funded through contributions by Human Resources Development Canada - Grand Falls-Windsor through the Local Labour Market Partnerships and the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency through their Business Development Program. Also, in attendance were Sam Organ, Economic Development Officer with the Coast of Bays Corporation, and Gail Moore, Economic Development Officer with the Department of Development and Rural Renewal.

The areas that were evaluated for potential aquaculture activity included the coastline from Rencontre East to McCallum in Hermitage Bay excluding the inner Bay D'Espoir estuary.

Dennis stressed the importance of partnerships to ensure a continuous supply of product to the meet the market demand. He also emphasized the importance of the development of a secondary processing industry. There was much discussion of the financial requirements needed to grow a shellfish aquaculture business along with the bureaucratic "red tape" that many experience in the daily operation of their business.

Dennis stated that the advantages for shellfish aquaculture in the area include: Working Capital Financing Program, Development of Strategic Marketing Alliances, future opportunities in seed collection, proximity to proposed processing facilities, and trained workers. In finfish aquaculture, there are opportunities in cod farming where trap sites are close to communities and potential sites identified in the study, there is an abundance of herring and mackeral, funding of $92,000 for 1999 and 2000 for cod farming on the south coast and close to processing plants.

Dennis will be doing a series of public information sessions around the Coast of Bays region to outline the results of this study. The study is also available at the Business Resource Centre at the Viking Building in St. John's, the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and from many public libraries in the region.

For further information, contact:

Ms. Tracey Perry, Executive Director Coast of Bays Corporation P.O. Box 310 St. Alban's, Newfoundland A0H 2E0 Phone: 709-538-3552 Fax: 709-538-3627 E-mail: inquiries@coastofbays.nl.ca

Mr. Dennis Rose, Aquaculture Development Officer Coast of Bays Corporation General Delivery Harbour Breton, Newfoundland A0H 1P0 Phone: 709-885-2875 Fax: 709-885-2095 E-mail: dennis_rose@hotmail.com