Minister’s Assertion on Canadian Council of Fisheries and Aquaculture Ministers Assembly

NOTE: The following is a press release from Kent Smith, Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture.

At in the present day’s assembly of Canadian Fisheries and Aquaculture Ministers in Iqaluit with federal Department of Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson, I as soon as once more pressed the federal authorities to deal with unlawful fishing by way of higher enforcement on the water. Our communities and industrial harvesters have reported rising unlawful actions over the previous years, which additionally has raised public issues of safety. I thanked the Minister for elevated efforts over the previous weeks and encourage her division to step up this work to maintain our communities secure and to guard the sustainability of our fishery.

With the influence of tariffs being felt all through our business, I additionally known as on the federal authorities to help Nova Scotia’s elevated market diversification actions to assist get our high-quality seafood merchandise to new prospects internationally. My Atlantic colleagues and I additionally repeated our name for a fast renewal of the Atlantic Fisheries Fund (AFF), which has been a key partnership program to assist our business modernize and adapt to new alternatives.

Aquaculture performs an essential position in supplying Canada and the world with a sustainable and wholesome supply of seafood, and I used to be glad that this subject featured prominently within the council’s agenda. Nova Scotia reiterated that the provinces are greatest positioned for the continued regulation of the sector.

Nova Scotian communities are constructed on a fishing custom that spans generations and perceive the worth of conservation and a sustainable fishery that protects our ocean useful resource. Marine conservation areas are an essential instrument on this effort; nevertheless, our waters have already contributed sufficient to the federal aims on this entrance, a reality which I highlighted on the assembly.

Finally, I reiterated the significance of Nova Scotia’s work to advance offshore wind by way of our Wind West initiative. This is a provincial precedence and a major nation-building alternative and one which requires us to make sure our seafood business is meaningfully engaged in figuring out mutually useful options.

Seafood is Nova Scotia’s largest business and No. 1 export. It’s an essential financial driver, supporting jobs in our rural coastal communities.

I proceed to be cautiously optimistic with the route that the brand new Minister is articulating for our seafood business, and I look ahead to ongoing engagement together with her division on Nova Scotia’s priorities.