Tributes Flow for Susan Farquharson, a Champion of Sustainable Aquaculture

Susan Farquharson believed the ocean and the communities who depend on it are inseparable. That belief defined her work in aquaculture and will continue to guide those carrying it forward.

By Samantha McLeod
SeaWestNews

Susan Farquharson showed that caring for the ocean means caring for the people who depend on it. That understanding guided her life’s work and shaped a legacy felt across Atlantic Canada’s working waterfronts and coastal communities.

That is how she worked and led, and that is how she will be remembered, say the tributes now flowing across the aquaculture sector, government, research institutions, and the small towns where she spent her life building bridges.

Susan passed away on November 7, 2025, at the age of 65, surrounded by her family and loved ones.

Her loss is resonating deeply throughout the communities she dedicated herself to strengthening.

For nearly a decade, Susan served as Executive Director of the Atlantic Canada Fish Farmers Association, becoming one of the region’s most trusted voices for responsible aquaculture. Her leadership was grounded in science, patience, and the belief that healthy ecosystems and resilient coastal livelihoods depend on one another.

Tom Taylor, ACFFA’s current Executive Director, highlighted the purpose and empathy in her work when he said, “She championed science-based innovation and always focused first on the people in our coastal communities. Her leadership helped shape the future of finfish farming in Atlantic Canada and she was instrumental in advancing the Fundy Salmon Recovery partnership.”

Susan Farquharson’s role in Fundy Salmon Recovery, which has helped achieve the highest returns of inner Bay of Fundy wild Atlantic salmon in two decades, reflects her approach to solutions rooted in cooperation among Indigenous communities, scientists, governments, and industry.

Cyr Couturier, a veteran of Canada’s aquaculture sector who worked alongside Susan for years, paid tribute to her advocacy and resolve in his heartfelt words, “She was a strong advocate for sustainable fish farming in Atlantic Canada, collaborating with governments and industry associations to help grow the sector responsibly.

“She led numerous trade and technology missions to  Aqua Nor that connected Canadian companies, First Nations, mayors and others with partners in Europe. Those exchanges led to real advances on both sides of the Atlantic. Sue will be missed for her candor, and her determination to educate the public in Atlantic Canada,” he said.

Tim Kennedy, President of the Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance, recalled how Susan quietly supported others stepping into leadership roles, calling her a thoughtful, compassionate force in a sector that often faces loud and polarised debate.

“With her background in conservation, she believed strongly that aquaculture was a necessary part of wild species conservation, and she thoughtfully pursued this belief in her work,” he said.

Glenn Cooke, CEO of Cooke Inc., said Susan will be remembered not only for strengthening the industry, but for the positive impact she had on the coastal communities she served.

Before her work with ACFFA, Susan’s career spanned environmental research, public administration, and marine stewardship through roles with the Canadian Rivers Institute at the University of New Brunswick, the Canadian Coast Guard, the New Brunswick Department of Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries, and local government. She also served as Deputy Mayor of Fundy Shores, where she worked steadily and without fanfare to improve her community.

Through all of her dedication to the aquaculture industry, Susan remained devoted to her family, her husband Greg Price, her daughter Sari Ashton, and her grandchildren Glendon and Elspeth.

Friends say she had a way of making people feel seen, valued, and welcomed, whether in a boardroom or at her kitchen table.

Those who worked alongside her say she leaves behind stronger coastal communities, renewed conservation partnerships, returning salmon in the rivers of Fundy, and a generation of people who learned from her example.

For Canada’s aquaculture sector, Susan’s message is a profound legacy that reminds us daily that the ocean and the people who depend on it cannot be separated.

(Main image of Susan Farquharson courtesy of ACFFA)