CARDIGAN, P.E.I. — The company that owns a fish hatchery in Cardigan where a slimy material has ended up in a nearby stream says it is still working to address the problem.
In a statement to The Guardian, Mowi Canada East, which has owned the hatchery for about two years, said several improvements have been made at the facility since local residents raised concerns.
Those improvements include increasing the schedule for removing organic matter from the facility with pumping trucks and installing enhanced filtration screening, the statement said.
“An improvement over the visual appearance of the water has already been observed since our changes were made.”
Last summer, a sticky mess could be seen on a stream near the hatchery where outflow from the facility entered the waterway, in some places leaving a foamy scum on the water.
Testing found the water wasn’t deleterious to fish.
Mowi’s statement said water testing will continue through the summer and fall with plans for more equipment changes after all the fish at the facility are shipped out in early July.
Those changes include adding new filtration and water treatment equipment.
The Guardian also contacted the provincial Environment Department about the situation at the hatchery.
A statement from the department said staff visited the hatchery on June 10, which was followed by a conference call on June 19 to discuss future plans.
The department said Mowi has been providing updates on improvements at the hatchery.
Parnell Hughes, a local resident who used to fish in the stream, said when it comes to the material in the stream some days are better than others.
“It never stopped,” he said, adding he hasn’t been fishing in the stream since he noticed the problem last year.
It’s too bad because I’ve been fishing there 50 years.”
