November 5, 2002

Ottawa - Bill Casey, Member of Parliament for Cumberland Colchester, recently approached the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) to have the navigational aides to the approach of Barrachois Harbour upgraded. There was a plan to upgrade them a few years ago, but that plan was shelved when there was the possibility of a major aquaculture project in Tatamagouche Bay. Although the project was stopped, the upgrade of the navigational aides was never reinstated.

DFO has notified Casey that they will be reviewing the need for navigational aides over the next few months and hopefully, the decision will be made early in the new year regarding the placement of additional and lighted navigational aides in the harbour. Barrachois has grown from a port of approximately 10 permanent boats to close to one hundred. In addition, there is the potential for a lot of drop-in traffic as people pass by on their way along the shore. Barrachois offers the only refuelling for gasoline boats for about one hundred kilometres. It also has a very safe, enclosed harbour but without navigational aides it could be difficult to find.

Casey says, “This is a safety issue, especially now that people unfamiliar with the bay and the port are trying to find their way. In foul weather, it would be very difficult for boats to find a safe haven with the present marking system.” DFO committed to communicating with the harbour’s administrators to ensure that the needs are well identified.

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For more information:

Bill Casey, M.P.

(613) 992-3366

(902) 667-8679

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