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Innovation, Business and Rural Development
Fisheries and Aquaculture
November 23, 2011

Harbour Breton Looks to Capitalize on Thriving Business Activity

The Town of Harbour Breton, supported by an investment of $56,000 from the Provincial Government, will conduct a feasibility study and development plan for a proposed marine industrial park in Poole Cove.

“The volume of business activity relating to the thriving aquaculture industry in the Coast of Bays has precipitated the need for the Town of Harbour Breton to explore market requirements for developing an industrial park,” said the Honourable Keith Hutchings, Minister of Innovation, Business and Rural Development. “The development of similar industrial parks in Marystown, Burin, and Labrador West reflect the growth of industry sectors and the positive business environment in rural Newfoundland and Labrador. Their success is evidence that quality infrastructure leads to greater business activity.”

The development of the industrial park was identified in the Town of Harbour Breton’s Integrated Community Sustainability Plan to capitalize on opportunities provided by the aquaculture industry, which province-wide has an export value of $116.3 million. The feasibility study will identify service sector gaps or levels of service to the aquaculture industry and complementary enterprises that could be located in the park, as well as the number of lots and how it could be marketed.

“Ten years ago our greatest challenge with aquaculture was determining how to grow it, but today I’m proud to say our greatest challenge is keeping up with the tremendous success of the industry,” said the Honourable Darin King, Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture. “The prosperity and potential of aquaculture in Newfoundland and Labrador is now so great that we have moved towards supporting projects like this to assist the growth of spin-off businesses. It is exciting to see this kind of economic diversification taking place, and I wish all the best to communities throughout the Coast of Bays as they pursue future developments.”

The aquaculture industry has experienced rapid growth over the last 10 years in the Coast of Bays. The sector directly employs 655 people, in 130 aquaculture licensed aquaculture sites primarily centred in the Coast of Bays and Green Bay regions of the province.

“I am extremely pleased to see this initiative moving forward,” said Tracey Perry, MHA, Fortune Bay - Cape La Hune. “We have been working very hard to develop a long term, sustainable industry here in the Coast of Bays, and it is great to see local officials explore opportunities for continued expansion.”

Eric Skinner, Mayor of the Town of Harbour Breton, views the feasibility study as a positive step in capitalizing on the growth of the aquaculture industry in the region.

“This funding for the feasibility study and development plan for our proposed Poole Cove Marine Industrial Park is critical to allow our community and the Coast of Bays region to seize economic opportunities associated with the growing aquaculture sector along the South Coast,” said Mayor Skinner. “This town was inhabited hundreds of years ago because of the marine resources off our coast and today, in addition to the traditional fishery, we are benefitting in a different way from these same resources.”

This initiative was funded through the Provincial Government’s Regional/Sectoral Diversification Fund and the Aquaculture Strategic Development Program.

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Media contacts:

Scott Barfoot
Director of Communications
Department of Innovation, Business and Rural Development
709-729-4570, 690-6290
scottbarfoot@gov.nl.ca
Bradley Power
Director of Communications
Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture
709-729-3733, 699-5707
bradleypower@gov.nl.ca 
 
Donna Ivey
Communications Manager
Government Members Office
709-729-0898, 697-1424
donnaivey@gov.nl.ca 
Eric Skinner
Mayor
Town of Harbour Breton
709-885-2354

2011 11 23             11:50 a.m.

 
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