News release

Province Releases State of Nova Scotia's Coast Report

Fisheries and Aquaculture

Note: A social media version of this release, with downloadable high-res photographs, video and audio clips will be available Thursday, Dec. 10, at http://gov.ns.ca/news/smr/2009-12-10-coastal.asp .


Nova Scotians are invited to review the province's first State of Nova Scotia's Coast Report, released today, Dec. 9. The report is the first of its kind in Atlantic Canada.

The report will be of interest to many Nova Scotians as most of the province's population live or work in coastal communities.

"The State of Nova Scotia's Coast Report provides an overview of the condition of our coast and information on priority coastal issues," said Fisheries and Aquaculture Minister Sterling Belliveau. "We must look at ways to protect the coast where we live, work, and play. It is vital to who we are and a way of life that is valued by Nova Scotians."

The report looks, in detail, at six priority issues: sea-level rise and storm events, public coastal access, working waterfronts, coastal water quality, coastal ecosystems and habitats, and coastal development.

The report includes a detailed examination in a technical report and six fact sheets.

"This report is a snapshot of the current state of the province's coast, including its history," said Justin Huston, chair of the Provincial Oceans Network, the group of 15 departments and agencies that oversaw the development of the report. "Using feedback from Nova Scotians, as well as information in the report, a coastal strategy will be developed for release in 2010."

Copies of the summary document, fact sheets, and technical report are available at www.gov.ns.ca/coast .