A group from the United States aiming to establish a sanctuary for whales retired from marine parks in Nova Scotia has secured a 20-year lease for Crown land on the Eastern Shore of the province. The Whale Sanctuary Project, a non-profit organization, revealed the news on Friday, stating that the lease encompasses 83 hectares of Crown property and coastal waters near Wine Harbour, a small community.
Although Premier Tim Houston’s cabinet approved the lease in October, critics of the initiative pointed out that the official signing of the document had not yet occurred. Back in June, the project’s organizers, funded privately, held a groundbreaking event at the location. Efforts are currently underway to renovate a wharf that will be utilized for the sanctuary’s facilities for caring for the whales. The wharf will also function as a base for installing a large floating enclosure, which is anticipated to be the size of 50 football fields.
Charles Vinick, the CEO of the Whale Sanctuary Project, initially announced plans for a 40-hectare sea pen over six years ago.