U.S. Survey Highlights How Harvesters Can Strengthen Local Supply Chains
The University of Maine, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the National Marine Fisheries Service are collaborating to find out how harvesters are direct marketing their product in the United States.
This survey was created with the intent of highlighting the socioeconomic contributions seafood harvesters make to the nation’s regional food systems.
“Part of the challenge is that seafood is an important part of the food chain, but not much information has been collected on ...
Salmon Stock in N.L. Showing Low Returns and Low Survival Rates
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans has completed its bi-annual assessment of wild salmon in Newfoundland and Labrador, concluding that monitored rivers on the island are still struggling, while Labrador is seeing some growth.
Of the 15 monitored rivers in Newfoundland, nine were in the critical zone, five were in the healthy zone and one was in the cautious zone. Four rivers in Labrador were monitored in 2022, of which two were considered healthy, one was considered to be in the cautious ...
MUN Launches $22-Million Holyrood Facility for Ocean Technology Development
Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador’s (MUN’s) newest $22-million facility, dubbed The Launch, will serve as an innovation hub to further research and technology development for the oceans sector.
Located on the shores of Conception Bay in Holyrood, N.L., The Launch is set up to test research in real-life scenarios.
“The facility and where it’s located provides what we like to call a living lab environment,” said Kelly Santos, the director of The Launch. “It’s a ...
Canada Invests $2.5 Billion into Local Shipbuilding for the Coast Guard
Helena Jaczek, the Minister of Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC), appeared alongside St. John’s East member of Parliament Joanne Thompson and Churence Rogers, the MP for Bonavista-Burin-Trinity in St. John’s on May 25 to announce $2.5 billion in funding to procure up to 61 vessels to renew the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) small vessel fleet.
Beyond renewing the CCG fleet, these funds will go towards strengthening Canada’s shipbuilding industry and creating jobs by allowing ...
CWOIL Conference Aims to Build a More Inclusive Oceans Sector
Canadian Women in Ocean Industries Leadership (CWOIL), an organization meant to engage women in the oceans sector, held its first conference in the Delta Hotel in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador on May 9–11.
The three-day conference, which seeks to discuss success stories as well as strategies for enhancing diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) for underrepresented groups in the oceans sector, turned out even better than expected according to Cathy Hogan, the executive director of ...
MOWI Addresses Concerns Over Newest Expansion
Mowi Canada East is greatly expanding its salmon hatchery in Stephenville, Newfoundland and Labrador, and provided responses to comments and concerns by the public both in-person and online.
The planned expansion includes a recirculating aquaculture system (RAS), where water is circulated through a number of filters and disinfection processes to maintain clean water in the fish tanks to avoid constantly circulating new water. Approximately 95 per cent of the water in the aquaculture system ...
DFO Seeks Engagement on Supporting Owner-Operators in N.L.
Above: David Greening photo
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) recently held a stakeholder engagement in St. John’s, N.L. related to policy surrounding owner-operator policies, vessel length requirements for the inshore fleet and vessel registration.
Amy Kavanagh-Penney, the senior resource manager for licensing policies with DFO, said that the Newfoundland and Labrador engagement session is to work out the details on what works best for harvesters in the province....
The NLGIDC Wants to Catch More Cod
After an incredible year of catches for the stewardship cod fishery, the Newfoundland and Labrador Groundfish Industry Development Council (NLGIDC) is asking for more cod — 4,000 more tonnes, to be exact.
The NLGIDC is a collaboration of harvesters through the Fish, Food and Allied Workers Union (FFAW) and a number of processors including Beothic Fish Processors Limited, Barry Group Inc., the Labrador Fishermen’s Union Shrimp Co. and the Fogo Island Co-operative Society.
Between the ...
Innovative New Bait Stymied by U.S. Regulations
Above: Mark Prevost, left, and Wally MacPhee, co-owners of Bait Masters Inc. Photo Supplied by Mark Prevost
Prince Edward Island-based Bait Masters thought it might have had the next big innovation in alternative lobster bait — using leftover seal harvest by-products — until it was stonewalled by regulations and politics.
Bait Masters is the largest alternative bait producer worldwide at this point in time. Its main bread and butter is a bait “sausage” made of mackerel ...
P.E.I.’s Lobster Fishery Sees Low Prices, Whale Closures and Market Uncertainty
The lobster season in Prince Edward Island has gotten off to a slow start, with whale sightings and low wharf prices adding to harvesters’ troubles.
According to the Prince Edward Island Fishermen’s Association (PEIFA), setting day for the lobster fishery kicked off with great weather. The weather soon turned on P.E.I. fishermen, however.
“It has been a windy start to the season, keeping fishers off the water, in some cases,” said PEIFA in a statement to The Navigator. “The ...
