Cole-Munro Fish Farms Finds Ideal Conditions in Marathon, Ontario

The Problem (albeit a good one to have…)

Fresh, Canadian Rainbow Trout. Cole-Munro provides about 80% of all the Rainbow Trout you’ll find on the market today including at restaurants across Canada. Expansion was always in the cards for this St. Thomas, Ont. success story. But not at any cost. Cole-Munro has a reputation for high standards and high quality, raising and processing fish responsibly. That includes responsible stewardship of the environment around its fish farms to reduce Cole-Munro’s impact.

It all starts by selecting the right location…

The Solution

It turns out the conditions are just right in the waters of Lake Superior near Marathon, Ontario. Its cooler temperatures compared to the other four Great Lakes downstream mean the fish actually grow faster. Cole-Munro chose the eastern edge of Hawkins Island at the mouth of Peninsula Harbour because of its relative calmness. Plus, the huge lake and its currents are ideal for naturally filtering the farm, circulating fresh water and oxygen through the protected harbour.

It’s the perfect site from the business perspective, too. Fish can be processed right in town then delivered to customers across Canada and to the US by rail or road. Both Biigtigong Nishnaabeg (Ojibways of Pic River First Nation) and the Town of Marathon immediately realized the economic benefits of Cole-Munro’s project and supported it from the start. Business-friendly Marathon provided wharf and port access/services at no charge during the pilot project phase, knowing that a win for Cole-Munro would be a win for everyone.

Photo / Video courtesy of : Cyndi Wlasichuk, Fisheries and Oceans Canada

The Result

Truthfully, Cole-Munro didn’t know what to expect when they set up shop in Marathon. They’d never tried raising trout in Lake Superior before. But what started as a two-pen pilot project turned into another success story for the company. By January 2023, the farm has lowered the pens below the coming lake ice to see how they fare over winter. Then… who knows? Definitely more fish are coming in 2023 and perhaps more pens. With lots of room to grow in its new western arm of its operations, Cole-Munro is putting down solid roots in Marathon, in it for the long-haul.