The Atlantic Canadian salmon farming division of Cooke Aquaculture Inc., Kelly Cove Salmon Ltd., received approval from the Nova Scotia Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture (NSDFA) for the assignment of its Aquaculture License of a land-based fish hatchery in Millbrook.

Millbrook First Nation is a Mi’kmaq community located in Truro, Nova Scotia. The First Nation Council established an Arctic charr farming operation in 2002 but has decided to transition to farming Atlantic salmon with Cooke to meet market needs. The Millbrook facility includes a grow-out building, a filtration building, a biofilter/degassing building, a hatchery building, and a greenhouse. 

The hatchery and main facility use a recirculation aquaculture system (RAS) engineered to have the capacity to grow 450,000 salmon smolt for Cooke’s twelve marine aquaculture sites along Nova Scotia’s Southern and Western shores. 

“Millbrook First Nation is looking to the future to ensure our people stay connected to local seafood through innovative ways. Farming Atlantic salmon through best practices in association with Cooke Aquaculture as a world-leading company provides us with a sustainable source of nutritious salmon and employment opportunities,” said Millbrook First Nation chief, Bob Gloade. 

“We have formed a productive relationship with the Millbrook First Nation to work together to grow Atlantic salmon smolt at their former Arctic charr land-based facility located in the community of Millbrook,” said Glenn Cooke, CEO of Cooke Aquaculture Inc. “Our Kelly Cove Salmon Ltd. team and contractors from Millbrook First Nation have spent six months making preparations, and we are thrilled to be contributing to the community’s economic development.”