Contract Announced for Placentia Coast Guard Facility
The federal government has announced an investment of $5.2-million to build new and expand existing facilities for the Canadian Coast Guard and the Conservation and Protection branch of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) in Placentia.
The contract has been awarded to CAN-AM Platforms & Construction Limited.
The new Canadian Coast Guard building will house the Marine Communications and Traffic Services (MCTS) Centre and the Electronics and Informatics Technical Workshop, and will ...
Public Consultation on Marine Recreational Fishing Licences for Eastern Canada
On May 19, 2017, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) announced it would consider a new marine recreational licensing system in Eastern Canada.
The Department has now commenced a public consultations process to seek views on a new marine recreational licence for Eastern Canada. The consultation will run until August 31, 2017.
The public and industry have a variety of methods via which they can provide comments to DFO:
1. Information on the marine recreational fishing licence for Eastern ...
Fish and Wildlife Enforcement Officers Lay Charges Related to Salmon Poaching
Fish and Wildlife Enforcement officers have laid a number of charges related to illegal salmon poaching.
On July 31, 2017, while conducting surveillance at the mouth of the Colliers River, officers observed an individual land a large Atlantic salmon on the non-scheduled river. Shortly thereafter, the individual was observed returning to his vehicle with the fish in his possession. Upon further investigation, the individual has been charged with failing to release an accidentally foul hooked ...
Vessels to Reduce Speed in the Gulf
Today, Marc Garneau, Minister of Transport and Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard issued the following changes regarding concerns over right whales in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
“Canada takes the protection, conservation, and recovery of endangered species very seriously. The recent deaths of several North Atlantic right whales in the Gulf of St. Lawrence are extremely concerning.
“There is evidence that the North Atlantic right whales have been ...
Atlantic Salmon Management Change
DFO wishes to advise anglers that due to significant declines in salmon returns, all scheduled and non-scheduled salmon rivers on the island of Newfoundland (Zones 3-13 and 14a) will be open to catch-and-release angling only effective one hour after sunset on Sunday, August 6.
Management measures for trout angling remain the same.
Rivers that are currently closed due to environmental conditions, will remain closed to all angling until conditions improve. Rivers/Areas that have been closed ...
Organization and Lobbyists Could Be Solution to Industry Woes
When the late U.S. President Lyndon Johnson appointed a person into his inner circle, who at times had publicly disagreed with his policies, he justified his decision by saying he’d rather have the guy inside the tent peeing out than outside the tent peeing in.
When it comes to having any influence with governments, especially Ottawa concerning the commercial fishery, hiring lobbyists is the solution because the opposition is doing so and with results.
Three worried lobster harvesters ...
Negative Reaction to Lobster Industry Observer Program
A recent meeting conducted by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) on a proposed Nova Scotia lobster observer program drew a mixed reaction.
The Lockeport meeting was held in June and was meant for organized groups of lobster harvesters in the region.
“We weren’t told what the meeting was all about and by law organized fishermen’s group like ours have to be told,” Colin Sproul said.
He is the spokesman for the 175-member Bay of Fundy Inshore Fishermens Association.
...
A Hard Year For Ice: Plant Workers Included in Federal Compensation Plan
Newfoundland and Labrador is no stranger to ice floes, but even the most seasoned marine veteran will tell you that the 2017 season has been unprecedented.
Almost daily northeasterly gales blasted the province’s east coast all spring, leading to unusually thick arctic ice being rafted unto the shore, blocking harbours and preventing many fishermen from reaching the snow crab grounds.
As a result of the constant fishing delays and much lobbying by stakeholders in the province, the ...
Cod — Building the Fishery of the Future
The Canadian Centre for Fisheries Innovation will be holding a conference on the theme Cod —Building the Fishery of the Future at the Quality Hotel and Suites in Gander on November 22 and 23, 2017.
We are holding the conference to provide people who expect to be part of the future cod industry with information they will need to prepare for it.
In this column, I don’t usually talk much about the work we do at CCFI. My purpose is more to challenge the industry to think about what we do ...
Canadian Scientists Call for Additional MPA Improvements
The following letter was addressed to Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard and Catherine McKenna, Minister of Environment and Climate Change.
We, the undersigned Canadian marine scientists, urge the Government of Canada to increase the level of protection currently provided to Oceans Act Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and the National Marine Conservation Areas (NMCAs) through Environment and Climate Change Canada.
We also call for increased transpar...
