— October 24, 2025 —
From building nets in his brother’s garage to leading an innovative Atlantic Canada aquaculture service company, Clarence Blanchard has spent more than three decades helping to shape the region’s salmon farming industry. This week, the Atlantic Canada Fish Farmers Association (ACFFA) honoured the founder of Future Nets & Supplies with the 2025 Atlantic Canada Aquaculture Award, recognizing his vision, innovation, and lifelong commitment to the sustainable growth of the sector.
“Clarence is one of the true trailblazers of Atlantic Canada’s aquaculture sector – his vision, innovation, and early embrace of new technologies helped shape a more sustainable and successful industry,” said David Seeley, Chair of the Atlantic Canada Fish Farmers Association.“He leads by example, with an incredible work ethic and deep commitment to his community. Clarence has remained grounded in Charlotte County values – supporting local families, creating jobs, and building a legacy of community spirit, innovation, and leadership that continues to inspire our sector.”
The award was presented this week in Saint Andrews, NB, during the Atlantic Canada Fish Farmers Association’s Annual Science, Research and Technology Forum, which brought together about 100 salmon farmers, industry stakeholders, scientists, researchers, provincial and federal government representatives, and aquaculture professionals from across the region at the Huntsman Marine Science Centre.
A lifelong resident of Charlotte County, Blanchard grew up in Blacks Harbour, immersed in the local herring industry. Even as a student, he displayed a strong work ethic and entrepreneurial spirit – working at Connors Bros. and the local convenience store, while pursuing ventures such as selling Christmas wreaths in Ontario, inspired by the Charlotte County tradition of “tipping”.
In the mid-1980s, as aquaculture began to take shape in Atlantic Canada, Blanchard saw an opportunity while helping a local manufacturer build nets. Recognizing the need for both net construction and repair, he secured a small contract and, with a modest loan, began building nets in his brother’s garage in Deadmans Harbour – just a few miles from where Future Nets & Supplies operates today. Founded in 1989 and incorporated in 1991, Future Nets grew from two employees to over 60 at its peak and continues to employ about 30 highly skilled workers.
Under Blanchard’s leadership, Future Nets became known for exceptional craftsmanship, service, and innovation – outperforming international competitors and proudly adopting the tagline “Your East Coast Advantage.” As aquaculture evolved, Blanchard led the way in sustainability, investing in advanced net servicing facilities featuring closed-loop water recycling, organic waste composting, and natural wetland purification systems. Today, Future Nets operates Atlantic Canada’s only CFIA-approved disinfection system for aquaculture nets, setting a high standard for biosecurity and environmental stewardship.
Beyond business, Blanchard is known for his generosity and community spirit. He has supported countless local causes, including the Heart & Stroke Walk, Charlotte County Cancer and the Eastern Charlotte Lions Club’s Annual Christmas Telethon. He donates generously and consistently to causes such as Fundy Nursing Home, Fundy High School and local sports teams.
He’s also contributed time, equipment, and expertise to community projects, such as installing the granite sculpture at the St. George Post Office. He has also served on the ACFFA Board of Directors.
“When I started Future Nets over 35 years ago, I never imagined we’d grow to what we are today. I always believed that success comes from hard work, perseverance, and most importantly people. This award belongs to not just to me, but my incredible team who show up every day with dedication to the best job we can for our customers,” said Blanchard. “Thank you to the pioneers and entrepreneurs who helped build this industry. It wasn’t easy and has been quite a transformation from the early days, but our collective efforts have shaped the industry we have today. Together we are building not just an industry, but a future for our community.”
ACFFA established the Atlantic Canada Aquaculture Award in 2017. The award honours an industry professional who has dedicated 25 years or more in the areas of science, environment, and technology in support of the sustainable development of salmon aquaculture in Atlantic Canada.
The Honourable Pat Finnigan, New Brunswick Minister of Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries, gave opening remarks at the Gala.
“New Brunswick remains firmly committed to supporting and advocating for the salmon aquaculture sector….Our province has been a leader in salmon aquaculture for more than four decades in southwest New Brunswick and I don’t need to tell you how vital the aquaculture sector is to our economy and to strengthening our food systems,” Minister Finnigan said. “But the strength of New Brunswick’s salmon sector comes from the people behind it – those who innovate and open new markets surround the world. Your resilience and determination are what keeps this industry thriving. To echo what has been said in the past, we stand united with you, and your mission to continue growing in the industry. We are always looking for ways to partner with you and to facilitate industry success.”
A Charity Auction held during the awards dinner raised $5000.00 for the Atlantic Canada Fish Farmers Association Salmon Research Award, established in honour of Betty House whose passion for and dedication to salmon in Atlantic Canada was marked by her 20+ year career in the salmon aquaculture industry and her role in the Inner Bay of Fundy Salmon Recovery Project. At the research forum, ACFFA’s Science Liaison Coordinator Evie Gagné presented ACFFA Salmon Research Award to Juan Manriquez-Hernandez, a PhD student at Dalhousie University. His research centres around the use of microalgae or their derivatives to enhance the sustainable development of Atlantic salmon farming, which is critical to the future development of non-fish meal/oil sources in salmon feed.
ACFFA is an industry-funded association working on behalf of Atlantic Canada’s salmon farming industry in addition to a wide range of service and supply companies and organizations. Salmon farming employs over 8,000 people in our region and has a total economic output of $2 billion annually in Atlantic Canada.
For more information, please contact:
Tom Taylor, Executive Director
Ph: 506-755-3526
Email: info@atlanticfishfarmers.com
