Category: 3. Business

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.

(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that Anthony Anthony, who has served as Connecticut’s chief marketing officer since March 2023, will depart state service effective February 6, 2026, to pursue a new professional opportunity.

Under Anthony, statewide brand perception shifted dramatically – from “boring, small, expensive” in 2021, to a modern identity anchored in cultural identity, history, and an unexpected rallying cry: pizza. Anthony spearheaded the strategic rebrand of the state launched in October 2023, better positioning Connecticut within national economic conversations while supporting recent population growth, business recruitment, and visitor spending.

By aligning tourism, business recruitment, resident pride, and innovation messaging, the state saw massive growth in public engagement and global visibility. Since 2022, Connecticut’s earned media impressions increased 841% – from 3.4 billion to more than 32 billion. State pride reached its highest mark since research began in 2012 at 61%, and Net Promoter Scores across Live, Work, and Play categories rose 144%, 107%, and 177%, respectively. Connecticut’s approach became a national case study in place branding and economic storytelling.

“Early in our administration, I said what I believed then and now – no more bad mouthing Connecticut,” Governor Lamont said. “I wanted our state to stop apologizing for who we are and start celebrating it. From his first day in my office in 2021, Anthony took that message to heart and turned it into a strategy that people feel every day — through creativity, vision, and pride. He helped show the world the Connecticut we know – innovative, fun, open for business, and yes, home of the Pizza Capital of the United States. I appreciate his service and the positive impact he’s made on our state.”

“I am sincerely grateful to Governor Lamont and First Lady Annie Lamont for offering me the opportunity to serve in Connecticut, a place I now proudly call home,” Anthony said. “This state made room for me, believed in new ideas, and empowered strategic creativity in a way that allowed me to belong and contribute.”

“Anthony has a rare talent – he takes complex topics — innovation, industry growth, workforce, quality of life — and turns them into stories people want to hear,” Daniel O’Keefe, commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development, said. “He does it visually, emotionally, and authentically. He brought imagination to economic development and helped make our strategy something people could understand, celebrate, and share. His work strengthened how we market Connecticut across business, tourism, talent, and community.”

 

As video advertising expands across screens and platforms, so does the regulatory pressure shaping how brands can collect data, personalize experiences, and use AI-driven tools. With new state privacy laws emerging, proposed federal rules targeting subscription practices, and heightened scrutiny of AI and youth protections, marketers face an increasingly fragmented environment that demands clarity and action.

The latest IAB Video Compliance Brief breaks down the most important developments affecting video advertising today—helping industry professionals understand what’s changing, what it means for targeting and measurement, and how to stay compliant across states and platforms.

This edition covers:

• Growing Patchwork of State Privacy Laws
• FTC’s Proposed Subscription and Auto-Renewal Rule
• AI Governance and Ad Tech Accountability
• Children’s Privacy Laws Expanding Beyond COPPA
• Data Minimization and Data Broker Disclosure Requirements

Whether you manage media, product, legal, or data operations, this guide offers the context and clarity needed to protect your campaigns and maintain consumer trust.

Download the IAB Video Compliance Brief: Q4 2025 Edition

More in the Q3 2025 IAB Video Compliance Brief

Read the Q2 2025 IAB Video Compliance Brief

Catch up on the Q1 2025 IAB Video Compliance Brief

Download

17 December 2025

• Governing Council submits proposal to European Parliament to extend term of office of the Vice-Chair of ECB’s Supervisory Board until the end of his mandate as ECB Executive Board member
• Council of the EU to give final approval after parliamentary vote

The Governing Council of the European Central Bank (ECB) today proposed to extend the term of office of ECB Executive Board member Frank Elderson as Vice-Chair of the ECB’s Supervisory Board. In accordance with the ECB Rules of Procedure, the Vice-Chair’s term may be extended, but not beyond the end of the eight-year mandate as a member of the Executive Board.

The ECB has informed the Chair of the European Parliament’s Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON), Aurore Lalucq, as well as the President of the Economic and Financial Affairs Council, Stephanie Lose, the Danish Minister of Finance. Mr Elderson will appear at a hearing before the ECON Committee on a date to be confirmed.

In accordance with Article 26(3) of the Single Supervisory Mechanism (SSM) Regulation, the extension needs the approval of the European Parliament. Following this approval, the Council will adopt an implementing decision to extend the term of the Vice-Chair of the Supervisory Board. Under the SSM Regulation, the Vice-Chair of the Supervisory Board must be a member of the ECB’s Executive Board.

Mr Elderson joined the Executive Board in December 2020 and was appointed Vice-Chair of the Supervisory Board in February 2021.

For media queries, please contact Carlijn Straathof, tel. +49 170 348 7585.

Jan was until recently General Counsel and Secretary of the National Trust. Prior to that he served as Deputy Head of Legal at the Bank of England after spending his early career working in private practice at two international law firms.

The Charity Commission’s Director of Legal and Accountancy Services is responsible for leading and managing its legal and accountancy services and assuring the legal integrity of the Commission’s regulatory work and policies. As a member of the Commission Executive Leadership Team, they also contribute to the overall leadership and management of the Commission, and advise the Board.

Jan will have oversight of the legal teams responsible for advising on registration, compliance, enforcement and regulatory authority as well as litigation strategy. His role will include steering legal input into delivery of the Commission’s strategy for 2024-29, which set commitments to “support charities to get it right but take robust action where we see wrongdoing and harm” and to “embrace technological innovation and strengthen how we use our data.”

Jan will also be responsible for overseeing the Commission’s accountancy team, led by an accountancy profession expert. Along with regulatory work, the team works alongside other UK regulators to ensure the UK charity reporting accounting framework is developed and maintained.

Charity Commission Chief Executive, David Holdsworth, said:

We were fortunate to attract an impressive pool of candidates in which Jan stood out. He brings a strong understanding of charity and wider law at a challenging time for the sector, and his experience, including working for an independent statutory regulator from his time at the Bank of England, will be of benefit as the Commission expands its casework staffing and explores the potential for technology solutions to meet increasing demand.

Jan Lasik said:

Charities are vital to our society, as is a strong and independent regulator. I look forward to joining the Commission, playing my part in ensuring that the law is upheld, wrongdoers are held to account, and that talent and innovation across the entire charity sector can flourish.

Jan will take up his new role in January 2026.

Jan Lasik: Curriculum Vitae (CV)

2025: LifeArc

2018 to 2025: National Trust

2013 to 2018:  Bank of England

2011 to 2013: Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom (UK) LLP

2006 to 2010: Allen & Overy LLP (now A&O Shearman)

ENDS

Two partners from the EIC Pathfinder-funded projects were among the winners of the Innovation Rader Prize: 

• ExoMatter, a start-up from Germany, were awarded the overall 2025 Innovation Radar Prize for their innovative ExoMatter Platform for Materials R&D, which offers easily searchable AI-enriched data for scientific materials screening, through powerful filters and Exira, the first natural language AI-Agent in this field. They are partners in the Pathfinder SULPHURREAL project, which aims to demonstrate and validate a breakthrough approach for the next generation of carbon-free, direct conversion of solar energy into chemicals that can be stored for virtually unlimited periods.
• Ecolyte, from Austria, won the ‘Climate, Energy & Mobility’ category for their innovative ion conductive, paper-based membrane that can be used in batteries, fuel cells, electrolysers and water purification systems. They are partners in VanillaFlow project, which which seeks to develop radically new approaches to integrated energy storage by combining artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) with flow battery technology. The project aims to replace currently used non-sustainable and critical raw materials with readily available, renewable materials based on starch and lignocellulosics. 

Background information 

The 2025 Innovation Radar Prize was the 11th edition of this annual celebration of EU innovative excellence. Organised by the European Commission and the Innovation Radar Bridge initiative, it took place in the Unicorn Factory Lisboa, Portugal. Twelve EU-funded start-ups from across Europe competed in three prize categories. 

At the event each of the 12 finalists – all SMEs, start-ups or spin-offs who had previously received research and innovation funding from the European Commission – delivered a pitch to investors and entrepreneurs outlining their ground-breaking innovations and plans to scale them in the marketplace. 

More information 

Innovation Radar Prize winners