Lighthouse on an island near Halifax, Nova Scotia.
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The Nova Scotia government has announced at an aquaculture industry conference in Halifax the expansion of the rating system for aquaculture sites to include shellfish operations like oyster and mussel farms, CBC News reported.
Canada's national public broadcaster confirmed the online platform is still under development. It is scheduled to go live in March 2025. The rating system was designed to bring transparency to fish farm sites, especially open-net salmon pens.
Last year, WeAreAquaculture published that the Nova Scotia government intended to introduce a "traffic light" system similar to that of Norway, classifying coastal sites according to their suitability for aquaculture. This will be used as the basis for decision-making on future permits for open-net fish farming in the province.
"The coastal classification system will map out areas around Nova Scotia that are potentially suitable for finfish aquaculture," the Ministry told WeAreAquaculture.
"Once it's done, everyone will have a better understanding of where finfish aquaculture could potentially happen in Nova Scotia – and where it likely will not happen. That means more transparency for the public, better applications from industry, and a faster review process."
