JULY/AUGUST 2020
VOLUME 11 ISSUE 4
NEWFOUNDLAND IN FOCUS
SEE PAGES
24-28
How aquaculture changed these Newfoundland communities
SEE PAGES 12-21
Visits to salmon farms in Norway revealed to Dr Grace Young and her team at Tidal the need for tools that could significantly improve farm operations
Google sister company helps usher in precision aquaculture Tech giant uses expertise to bring immediate and far-reaching change in fish farming
Mayors discuss industry’s role in fight against poverty BY LIZA MAYER
BY LALOU RAMOS
ost definitely the best news ever!” Mayor Georgina Ollerhead’s excitement was palpable on the other end of the line. As the COVID-19 pandemic continued its relentless spread worldwide, the news that Northern Harvest Sea Farms regained its farming licenses in the Fortune Bay region of Newfoundland and Labrador was much-needed good news for Ollerhead and her hometown. Ollerhead is the mayor of Harbour Breton, a small fishing community of 1,600 people. The town, situated near the mouth of Fortune Bay, is home to Northern Harvest Sea Farms owned by Mowi Canada East, and the Barry Group fish processing plant.
“M
Top photo: The pandemic brought sharper focus on the relevance of aquaculture. Harbour Breton Mayor Georgina Ollerhead (front, right) and her council convey message of hope in these uncertain times Photo: Municipality of Harbour Breton continued on page 24
PANDEMIC
Seafood processing among few bright spots There’s more work for processors as restaurant lockdowns force seafood producers to change course BY MATT JONES
he COVID-19 pandemic has affected aquaculture like any other but there’s one industry sector that’s seeing business go up: seafood processing. continued on page 7
T
Photo: Liza Mayer
CAGE CULTURE
t has long been conceded that when it comes to funding and attention, the ocean always gets the short end of the stick. Look no further than the disparity between the budgets allocated for space exploration and oceanic research to see where the US government’s priority lies. Our love for the outer space has inspired us to map in brilliant high-resolution images nearly 90 percent of the surface of Mars while over 80 percent of our ocean remains unexplored and unmapped. Billionaire entrepreneurs like Elon Musk and Richard Branson may have the resources to explore the potentials of the deep, but they too would rather look skyward for business opportunities. That is why is it refreshing and encouraging to hear that X, the innovation lab within Alphabet – the parent company of Google – is actively involved in ocean research.
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