Matthew Atlantic
Blood sea star near Matthew Atlantic dive site (Photo: Kim Langille)
Tourism
One of the primary benefits cited by federal and provincial governments for encouraging aquaculture projects is the economic benefits.
Communities around Port Mouton Bay also recognize the need to foster economic development, potentially including aquaculture projects. However, any development project, including aquaculture, should not threaten our established and sustainable industries, the commercial wild catch fishery and tourism.
Tourism is vital to Queens County. It is the second largest industry in terms of employment. Manufacturing employs 1,160, followed by tourism at 600, and then forestry, fishing, agriculture and hunting industries at 395 1. In fact the Region of the Municipality of Queens Tourism has identified tourism as a "key industry for Queens County".2
With a sparse population and fewer man-made amenities, the region's unspoiled lake and river systems, and pristine coastline are cornerstones of the tourism strategy. See Region of Queens Tourism Web Site.
Large scale open cage fish farming in the Bay is not consistent with the vision of tourism for Queens. Among the reasons cited by the Council of the Region of Queens Municipality to oppose a second fish farm included: the negative impact to tourism, and risk to Port Mouton Bay's many beaches.
Tourism and Recreation in Port Mouton Bay
Prime tourist facilities and attractions in the bay include:
- Summerville Beach Retreat Chalets
- Summerville Beach Provincial Park
- Quarterdeck Beachside Villas and Grill
- Hunts Point Beach Cottages
- Kejimkujik Seaside Adjunct
- White Point Beach Resort
The Bay is renowned for its many white sand beaches:
- Carter's Beach
- Back Beach (on Port Mouton Island)
- Hunts Point Beach
- Summerville Beach
- South West Port Mouton Beach
- Kejimkujik Seaside Adjunct beaches (just outside the Bay)
- White Point Beach
- Wobemkak Beach
In Port Mouton Bay tourists and locales enjoy a wide range of outdoor recreational activities such as: site-seeing tours, whale watching, kayaking, swimming, and saltwater recreational fishing. Sail boats, from around the world, frequently drop anchor in the Bay. See photo gallery of boats in the bay.
Recreational divers travel to the Bay to experience the Matthew Atlantic dive site. This fishing boat was scuttled in 1998 in order to create an artificial reef suitable for diving expeditions. See photos of the Matthew Atlantic by Kim Langille.
Open cage fish farming generates volumes of fish waste underneath the cages, and well beyond (See Below the Surface : What Divers have Discovered). The fish waste raises concern for:
- potential environmental damage to the nearby beaches
- loss of natural seascape and coastline
- the Matthew Atlantic dive site. An open cage fish farm near the Matthew Atlantic dive site means fish waste settling around the dive site. Fish waste and other debris from the sea cages would discourage marine life growth on the wreck. Fish waste undoubtedly reduces water clarity. Murky waters are not what recreational divers are looking for.
Conclusion
We believe that preserving the natural state of our shoreline, especially the unique coastline of Port Mouton Bay, is where our tourism future lies. The value of a clean, unspoiled ocean coastline will only increase in the future.
