The company logo for Cooke Aquaculture. (CBC)

Cooke Aquaculture says the sinking of one of its feed barges at a fish farm site in Digby County on Tuesday didn't harm the environment.

The vessel was brought back to the surface on Saturday.

Nell Halse, vice-president of communications at Cooke Aquaculture, said the company sent divers down to plug any fuel leaks.

"That was a big concern first of all for the safety of the individuals involved, but also to make sure there were no leaks."

Halse said Cooke Aquaculture's work boats always go out in pairs, so another vessel was nearby to make sure no one was injured.

The Coast Guard and Transport Canada, which is responsible for the company's environmental assessment because the fish farms are in navigable waters, were contacted.

The barge will be repaired at a shipyard in Meteghan, N.S.

Halse said company officials are still investigating to find out exactly what happened.

"It's a vessel that is designed deliberately for servicing fish farms in all kinds of environments and ocean conditions. So these are vessels used all over Atlantic Canada and they would be specifically designed for these kinds of environmental conditions," said Halse.

"So I don't think it was weather or the fact that the boat wasn't designed probably for the area. It looks like it was probably human error."

Cooke Aquaculture has about 400 vessels in Atlantic Canada.

In June another barge sank in St. Margarets Bay.

The province recently announced $25 million in loans and forgivable loans to help Cooke Aquaculture expand in the province.