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The Province is updating the Aquaculture Licence and Lease Regulations to support growth in the aquaculture industry with faster, clearer rules.

The changes will help make the approval process more efficient and better aligned with different types of aquaculture projects.

“Aquaculture is a priority for my department,” said Fisheries and Aquaculture Minister Kent Smith. “These changes will help projects get approved faster, make it easier for operators to understand the rules, improve transparency in decision making, and help Nova Scotia’s aquaculture industry grow in a sustainable way.”

Key updates to the regulations include:

• adding a 30-day public comment period for new aquaculture sites or existing sites that are expanding
• the Department’s aquaculture administrator will approve new or expanding shellfish and aquatic plant farms rather than the Nova Scotia Aquaculture Review Board, making the approval process better matched to the size and risk of these projects
• timelines and processes for the review board, which will continue to handle applications for finfish in marine areas, will be updated to ensure applicants, the board and other parties to hearings have the time they need to prepare based on experience.

The updates follow through on changes that the Province made to the Fisheries and Coastal Resources Act in 2024.

Nova Scotia is committed to an open and transparent aquaculture licensing and leasing process that provides the opportunity for public and stakeholder participation. These changes, among others, are an important step to supporting a sustainable and productive aquaculture sector in the province.

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Quotes:

“Good regulations help set the conditions for sector growth and development by providing certainty, clarity, guidance and direction. AANS is pleased to see these updates to the Nova Scotia aquaculture regulations and is optimistic they will encourage investment and growth that puts more food on the tables of Nova Scotians and Canadians.”
— Jeff Bishop, Executive Director, Aquaculture Association of Nova Scotia

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Quick Facts:

• Nova Scotia’s aquaculture industry is an important contributor to the provincial economy, generating a production value of $121 million in 2023 and employing almost 800 people
• changes reflect recommendations made by the Nova Scotia Aquaculture Regulatory Advisory Committee as part of the 2022–23 regulatory review
• the Nova Scotia Aquaculture Review Board is an independent, adjudicated decision-making body

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Additional Resources:

Laws and regulations related to aquaculture in Nova Scotia: https://novascotia.ca/fish/aquaculture/laws-regs/

Changes to the Fisheries and Coastal Resources Act in 2024: https://nslegislature.ca/sites/default/files/legc/PDFs/annual%20statutes/2024%20Fall/c005.pdf

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Other than cropping, Province of Nova Scotia photos are not to be altered in any way.