Nootka Sound Shellfish Ltd

Nootka Sound Shellfish Ltd currently operates three shellfish tenures in the Nootka Sound region, on the west coast of Vancouver Island. The company has been operating on the west coast of Vancouver Island for decades and is actively involved with the BC Shellfish Growers Association. These are all producing sites, focusing on clams and oysters, with quality product buyers in place. The seller is willing to assist a new owner with learning the farms and the basic workings of the business.

This offering is a share sale for the purchase of Nootka Sound Shellfish Limited. The assets include the three shellfish tenures which are all in the Nootka Sound region, off the west coast of Vancouver Island. This is a well-known and productive ocean harvest region, with boat access from Gold River, Tahsis or Zeballos on Vancouver Island.  Plumper and Kendrick are both beachfront tenures, while Hanna Creek is both a beachfront and a deep-water site. The offering also includes a 29ft skiff which is registered in the company’s name, used to carry product and equipment and to travel between sites.

Kendrick Inlet Tenure: This 13.5 acre shellfish farm is on an undeveloped beach, with Crown land as the upland. It is located at the north end of Kendrick Inlet in Nootka Sound and approx. two nautical miles north of the Plumper Harbour tenure. There is a minimum of 5 acres of clam ground, with an estimated standing stock of manila clams of 100,000 pounds. There is some oyster growing area here, however it does require protection to prevent the seed oysters from blowing away. The ground is excellent for clam growing, mainly small pebbles, mud and sand mixed. Much of the clam ground has been protected with predator nets. The lease is in good standing and the current tenure is in place to 2029. The seller believes this is likely the best clam beach in Nootka Sound and one of the best clam beaches on the west coast of Vancouver Island.

Plumper Harbour tenure: This is a 3.7 acre intertidal beachfront tenure that has been actively farmed for over 20 years by the same grower. The farm tenure location is on the north end of Plumper Harbour and faces Matute Island to the east. There is about one acre of clam ground, most of which is protected by predation nets. There is enough oyster ground here to comfortably grow out 500,000 single oysters from seed to small size, 3 to 4 inch of body cup. The current management plan was crafted by Aquabusiness Management Ltd following a site survey in 1995. The sellers have never changed it as it works well. There is really not a lot to change; put seed on the beach, rescue any oysters that blow too far up the beach, harvest and sell. The renewal of the license of occupation will require an update to the management plan and the sellers would be happy to advise a new buyer on the process. The farm is limited in height and cannot exceed equipment, netting, etc of 14 inches. This is to the benefit of the upland property owners. The license expired in April 2021, but the seller has already initiated renewal and has correspondence with the government to that effect.

Hanna Creek tenure: This is the main farm for the company where product is brought initially and equipment is stored. It includes deep water rafts and a beachfront growing area. Hanna Creek is in Hanna Channel, to the south-east of the other two tenures, approx. 7.4 nautical miles from the Plumper Harbour tenure. It looks west to Bligh Island and has easy access to both Tlupana Inlet and Muchalat Inlet. The eastern portion is protected by a breakwater and there are rafts, grow out equipment and a seed nursery. This site is used for oysters as the beach is not generally suitable for clams. The license on this tenure expired in 2021, however renewal is underway. This is an ongoing backlog with the government, meanwhile the tenures are operating as normal and the application is registered with the government. The seller has plenty of information and documentation to provide in this regard.

The government has recently introduced new rules and regulations regarding branding of equipment, traceability, etc for shellfish growers, and the seller has worked diligently to bring all three tenures and all equipment into compliance. A full equipment list is available.

In addition, the company owns a 29 foot by 8 foot work skiff, powered by twin 50 horsepower Yamaha outboard motors. It cruises at 14 knots, maximum speed is 19 knots with a clean bottom. The skiff sides are triangulated, providing very strong construction and good suitability as an equipment and product transport.

This is an excellent opportunity for someone wanting to work on the west coast, be their own boss and get involved in the aquaculture industry with a well-respected company brand, or to own a shellfish growing company and hire workers for the farm sites. These three tenures have been well-managed for years, with an active and knowledgeable owner who is willing to provide assistance to a new owner.