After my column last week about the fight against the fish farm proposed for Port Mouton Bay, a number of people got in touch. It is apparent that there is a united front in opposition to this proposal, something that is fairly unusual.

The Queens Progressive Conservative Association, at its annual meeting, has passed a motion in opposition to the fish farm, given the uniqueness of Port Mouton Bay — which has both a provincial park and a national park within its boundaries. With the Regional Government, our NDP MLA, the local PC association and the people of the area all opposed to the idea, it would be nothing short of foolish for the provincial government to okay the farm.

I did get into a conversation with a person who wondered how on earth we were going to satisfy the rising worldwide demand for fish, especially with dwindling stocks in our oceans, if we won’t allow fish farms. The answer may be “on earth.�

The Nova Scotia Salmon Association was quoted in the online Queens County Times as saying that the way to raise fish safely is on land. The association says that fish farms ought to be located in land-locked pens, fed by salt water, in order to create a closed containment system. This would enable fish farmers to eliminate dangers posed by escaped domestic salmon, disease, gene weakening and habitat competition.

The association notes that this is opposed by the aquaculture industry, because of its cost.

In British Columbia, where fish farming has been as controversial as in Nova Scotia, a company called AquaMarine has been raising salmon to maturity in eight large cement tanks. The farm is located in Cedar, just south of Nanaimo. The one drawback to the operation is that the effluent so far ends up back in the ocean, a problem, which the industry is trying to address.

If those problems can be solved, a land-based fish farm might be welcome in this county.

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In the northern part of the county, work is progressing on hooking up area residents to high speed Internet. The company providing the service is in the process of erecting a large new tower capable of reaching Greenfield and Chelsea, and hopes to have that in position by next week.

I’m told that there is a long list of people eager for the service. I’m one of them. You’ll know that I am on high speed Internet when the email address at the bottom of this column changes.

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The Northern District has been hard hit by the news that two young men, one from this community, have been arrested and charged with the burning down of the elementary school. School superintendent Jim Gunn was quoted as saying that the arrests would alleviate the stress felt by people in the community.

Maybe so. For many, however, it is upsetting to think that a local young person has been charged for this incomprehensible crime. It is important to remember that both of these people are innocent until proven guilty. The RCMP has worked very hard to find out what happened on the night the school burned down. Now it is up to the courts to deal with the question of guilt.

In the meantime, efforts are going forward to rebuild the school. Plans have been drawn up which involve both the elementary and junior-senior high, with the new school directly attached to the old one, adding a main entrance to serve both schools and providing for the expansion of some areas inside the high school. A public meeting will be held soon to show the plans to the public, at which time there will be an opportunity for people to comment.

What seems to have struck a chord, across North America, is the loss of the elementary school library. Books are still coming in to replace those lost in the fire. And the South Shore Regional Library, at a board meeting last week, approved a suggestion by the staff members on Mobile One that the bright red bus make an unprecedented stop on school property in order to help soften the blow.

The bookmobile will visit the school on alternating Fridays for the rest of the school year, allowing students and staff in the elementary school to make use of its collection.

Tom Sheppard can be reached at tsheppar@ca.inter.net.