Installation of a transatlantic submarine telecommunications cable for tech giant Facebook on the seabed off southern Nova Scotia is set to begin as soon as this week.
The Canadian portion of the route will take the cable through fishing grounds and the Fundian Channel, an area being considered for designation as a Marine Protected Area because of its deepsea corals and sponges.
Fishing groups in Nova Scotia say their feedback was ignored, including a suggested routing that would avoid key fishing grounds.
“The consultation here was largely non-existent,” said Kris Vascotto with the Atlantic Groundfish Council, which represents large fishing companies in the region.
