Some Positive News on N.L. Crab Stocks
After reporting years of shrinking snow crab stocks, scientists at the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) are painting a not so bleak picture for the upcoming 2018 fishery off Newfoundland.
DFO snow crab lead Dr. Darrell Mullowney said today the fishable biomass off Newfoundland (NAFO areas 2HJ3KLNOP4R) is still at a low level, but has shown some small signs of improvement and should be on par with 2016 stock numbers, bucking a trend that demonstrated declines each year.
Snow crab ...
DFO Awards New Arctic Surf Clam License
On Feb. 21. Federal Fisheries Minister Dominic LeBlanc announced that a new license for Arctic surf clam will be issued to the Five Nations Clam Company.
This decision will significantly enhance Indigenous participation in the offshore fishery in Atlantic Canada.
The Five Nations Clam Company is a new entity that will be comprised of First Nations from Quebec, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, and New Brunswick. This entity will partner with Premium Seafoods to ...
Minister Announces Changes to the Fisheries Act
Today, Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard announced amendments to the Fisheries Act that would restore lost protections and incorporate modern safeguards to protect our fish and their habitat for generations to come.
LeBlanc said the Government of Canada is putting in place better rules to protect the environment.
“To preserve, protect and help restore our environment we need a Fisheries Act that Canadians can trust. Today, I am pleased we are ...
Halifax International Boat Show Drops Anchor This Weekend
This weekend, the Halifax International Boat Show is back at Halifax Exhibition Centre with the largest display of boats and watercraft in Eastern Canada.
Taking place February 8 through 11, the show welcomes 16 of the Maritimes’ top dealers, hundreds of models and exhibitors, and features to entertain the whole family.
“If you’re already dreaming of days on the water, this show is the place to be,” said Scott Sprague, Show Manager. “Our exhibitors will have a huge variety of ...
North Atlantic Fish and Workboat Show Returns November 16-17
The North Atlantic Fish and Workboat Show returns to the Mile One Centre in St. John’s, Newfoundland this fall.
Taking place November 16-17, 2018, this year marks the sixth edition of this biennial event.
After a record-breaking edition in 2016 – featuring more than 100 exhibitors and nearly 4,000 qualified visitors over the course of two days – this year’s event is expected to surpass all previous expectations.
“This event has a history of bringing together key buyers and ...
Missing the Mark on N.L. South Coast Cod
Above photo: The Icewater Seafoods plant in Arnold's Cove, N.L. Photo courtesy of Icewater Seafoods
A new year provides an opportunity for all participants in the fishery to take stock of its successes and failures.
One area that needs reflection from industry as a whole is the cod resource off the South Coast of Newfoundland in 3Ps.
The state of this stock is no surprise to anyone. Science representatives from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans have repeatedly told participa...
Philosophical Change in Groundfish Management Needed
In the Letters to the Editor section of The Navigator (Vol. 21, No. 1, January 2018), I suggested a fishery could be managed as a whole and gave the example of the trial and error management of the whole inshore Maritime lobster fishery by the Universal Law of Sustainability.
This management as a whole is possible because a law of science makes a negative prediction. In the philosophy of science this negative prediction is modelled by a universal law such as all swans are white. That is, ...
Cod: Building the Fishery of the Future
It was my distinct pleasure to attend the two-day cod workshop in Gander on November 28 and 29, 2017.
We are indeed fortunate in this province to have a unique teaching/industry hub in the Marine Institute. The staff of this Institute and the Canadian Centre for Fisheries Innovation had put together a very effective two-day forum of cod industry speakers.
The material presented on the United States cod market by the Icelandic and Norwegian speakers was revealing. There is just “no ...
This Province Needs More Entrepreneurs Like Pat Quinlan
After writing so many letters over the years about the fishery and rural N.L., I would be remiss if I didn’t write this one.
Pat Quinlan, Nov. 8, 1929 – Dec. 15, 2017.
Although I didn’t know Pat personally, I knew a lot about him. He is one of the outstanding Newfoundlanders and Labradorians who have kept this province alive by investing a lot of time and money into the inshore fishery and rural N.L. and I hope the family carries on his tradition.
There are many more in this ...
On the Waterfront – February 2018
New Inshore Rescue Boat Station Boosts Arctic Maritime Search and Rescue
Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, recently announced the creation of an Inshore Rescue Boat station in Rankin Inlet, Nunavut which will provide seasonal search and rescue capabilities in that region.
Establishing this new station is a step towards building stronger working relationships with northern communities, and is an important indicator for how Coast Guard services will ...
