New Brunswick seafood exports reached an all-time high in 2021, surpassing $1.9 billion from January to October.
“New Brunswick saw the largest growth in Canada for seafood exports with an additional $742 million in revenues, surpassing every other Canadian province by at least $230 million,” said Margaret Johnson, Minister of Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries.
“With an increased demand for frozen seafood at both food service and retail markets, New Brunswick captured that opportunity with its diversity of products ranging from value-added lobster products to fresh salmon fillets.”
Johnson said although the seafood industry has faced challenges in 2021, “we are proud of the resilience that our industry has shown. The fisheries and aquaculture sectors play an important role in New Brunswick’s economy and culture. Over the past year, the industry has been pushing forward despite ongoing challenges in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic.”
“In the early days of the pandemic our department reacted quickly and hired three in-market consultants in three key international markets: Korea, Europe and China,” explained Johnson.
“These consultants gave us a continued presence in these markets throughout the pandemic. We have also helped companies by participating in virtual trade shows, encouraging e-commerce and organizing online promotions in China, Europe and the United States. Domestically, we have been working diligently to promote and expand consumption at a local level. In fact, we are completing the year-one actions of the 2021–2025 Local Food and Beverages Strategy which was launched in January 2021 and seafood is a significant component of the strategy.”
Johnson said her department has “been working closely with our industry to assess the opportunities for reopening the redfish commercial fishery. We see great potential for New Brunswick interests and have started taking steps to ensure we can capitalize on this opportunity.”
Since being appointed as the Minister of Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries on Sept. 29, 2020, Minister Johnson said she has spoken to numerous fisheries and aquaculture associations and organizations over the past year and looks forward to continuing the dialogue in 2022.
“I continue to learn from those who have built their lives around the ocean and its industries. It has been my great pleasure to meet fisher folk and processors alike and hear about all aspects of the sector,” she said.
