Brier Island Whale and Seabird Cruises Ltd. P.O. Box 1199 Westport, Nova Scotia, B0V 1H0 Phone (902) 839-2995 Fax (902) 839-2075 [email protected] January 18, 2005 Dear Panel, We are seriously concerned and strongly opposed to the establishment of a Quarry at White’s Cove, Digby County, Nova Scotia. Our concerns are not only from a Tourism perspective, but also environmental issues as well as the commercial fishing point of view. It is our understanding that this Quarry will be in operation up to 50 years. If this were so, I can guarantee that the Bay of Fundy a once, flourishing feeding area for all marine life, will be nothing but a water wasteland, used for nothing more than the transport of goods, given the disruption to its marine life. Many species of whales inhabit the Bay. Resident species include the rarest of all whales in the world, the North Atlantic Right Whales, Humpback Whales, Fin Whales, Minke whales, Atlantic White Sided Dolphins, Atlantic White Beaked Dolphins and Harbor porpoise. The Bay of Fundy is so rich in nutrients that other species have visited the Bay following their prey such as Orcas, Pilot whales, Sperm Whales, Blue Whales, Beluga Whales and Common Dolphins. ( Our research division has collected data on these whales since 1984 and have these species documented by location, date, time, photographs etc. and it is available should you wish more information about the cetaceans that occupy the Bay of Fundy. Our data is also submitted to other research organizations who conduct studies in the Bay. ) The cetaceans are attracted here because of the high concentrations of prey species such as copepods, euphausids, and herring, a very delicate marine food chain. This is achieved through the tidal action of the Bay. The swift running tides sweep over the shallower ledges causing a pump effect to force nutrients to the surface. These nutrients feed plankton, which in turn supply nourishment to small schooling fish and all of that provides food to whales, dolphins, porpoises, seals, groundfish and seabirds. The lower Bay of Fundy has been a traditional feeding ground for these creatures for hundreds of years. Fishermen have long regaled sea stories of the great whales of the Bay of Fundy that their forefathers encountered. It was only recently that researchers acted upon these reports and have studied them. Research has been done annually on the whales since 1980 by New England Aquarium. The Bay of Fundy is an integral part of the life cycle of the rarest large whale on earth, the North Atlantic Right whale. The Bay serves as nursery, courtship and feeding grounds for this species. The courtship begins with the calling of the female to the surrounding males. Should the blasting of the Quarry occur and deafen the males, the call of the female will go unanswered, disrupting the reproductive cycle of a species that is almost extinct. The blasting would affect other species as well. The great baleen whales locate their food by sound, the sound of schooling herring at the surface, and the sound of other feeding whales. The area in which the large ships will transit will go directly through these whale feeding grounds. Once again we have the data that will confirm this. In fact on January 12, 2005, 2 humpback whales were sighted and recorded about 5 miles off Petit Passage. It seems lately that these whales are no longer just seasonal residents but there are instances of overwintering by Fin Whales and Humpback Whales. Fin Whales are recognized by COSEWIC ( Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada) as being a threatened species while Humpback whales are considered vulnerable. The biggest threat to these whales are ship strikes and entanglements. With increased traffic, we can expect a higher rate of strikes and this is detrimental to a rare species such as the Right Whale. Should a vital feeding ground be disturbed, these whales will abandon the Bay and this too will be a threat to their current status. Their habitat must be protected! Having said that, there are hundreds of people on the Digby Neck, Long Island and Brier Island who rely on the whales for their seasonal livelihood. The Quarry would never replace those jobs when they are lost. Who wants to go whale watching when there are no whales? Who wants to visit an area that is being exploited by man and the very beauty of that area eradicated? The hospitality sector of tourism would suffer should this be the case and not only locally but as far as Digby as well. Many of our guests stay in Digby either the night before or after their cruise. The tourism industry is just a small part of the local economy to be affected, the fishing industry, an industry which is the life and breath of every community in South Western Nova Scotia, including Digby Neck and the Islands. Millions of dollars have been brought into the local economy by that lucrative fishery. Large ships would be traveling right through those traditional fishing grounds, areas that would be full of lobster traps, such as the area around White’s Cove where the deep water terminal is proposed. That in itself poses a threat to small vessel navigation. Not to mention the run off of silt from the Quarry A Quarry is not meant for the little hamlet of Digby Neck. It would be too close to the village of Little River, too close to the Bay of Fundy. How can it be said that there will be no effects? A Quarry is meant for a large area where there would be absolutely, without question no effects whatsoever. There is so much to lose should it be established. There is nothing to gain. Sincerely, Harold Graham Shelley Barnaby President/ General Manager Business Manager /Research Coordinator Brier Island Whale and Seabird Cruises Whale Watch and Lobster Divisions Brier Island- Gateway to the Bay of Fundy .