Government funding appeared to be flowing freely at the Canadian Council of Fisheries and Aquaculture Ministers (CCFAM) meeting in St. John’s in early December.
Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard Jonathan Wilkinson and Minister of Fisheries and Land Resources for Newfoundland and Labrador, the Honourable Gerry Byrne, co-chaired the meeting attended by their counterparts and representatives from all provinces and territories.
The ministers said they renewed their commitment to developing new trading opportunities, and further promoting markets that have opened up through new trade agreements.
At the meetings, the CCFAM announced the launch of the new $42.85-million Canadian Fish and Seafood Opportunities Fund. This cost-shared fund (70 per cent federal and 30 per cent provincial/territorial) will promote market access and development for the fish and seafood industry, thereby increasing fish and seafood exports, growing well-paid, middle-class jobs and supporting coastal and inland communities.
Implementation of the new Fisheries Act and aquaculture were also key topics of conversation.
The ministers directed officials to develop federal legislation with limited scope that respects federal, provincial and territorial jurisdiction and provides greater clarity to the sector. Such federal legislation would continue to ensure that Canada’s aquaculture industry is a global leader in producing high-quality aquaculture products in an environmentally sustainable manner.
The CCFAM members also discussed the challenges facing Canada’s oceans and other bodies of water — including plastic pollution, abandoned or lost ghost gear and climate change — and agreed that greater collaboration is needed among industry, Indigenous communities, not-for-profit organizations and others to ensure that this rich resource is available for future generations.
The ministers also discussed Canada’s endangered whale populations and the substantial federal investments to enhance their protection.
All CCFAM members agreed on the importance of marine conservation and engaging with Indigenous communities and stakeholders during the planning and development of marine protection initiatives. CCFAM ministers noted Canada has met the 2017 target of five per cent marine conservation and is on track to meet the 10 per cent 2020 commitment; recognizing the balance between the environment and the economy.
They also discussed how to increase collaboration, respect Indigenous rights and better incorporate Indigenous knowledge in the decision-making process. Furthermore, they discussed the need to improve the quality of life in Indigenous communities and take meaningful steps to advance reconciliation.
The ministers also said they are determined to work together to combat the spread of aquatic invasive species that continue to have significant impacts on some of Canada’s native fish stocks, as well as a number of our marine food producing sectors.
Finally, the table discussed the implementation of the new Fisheries Act and agreed to continue to work together on new policy and regulatory tools.
The federal and N.L. governments also used the CCFAM meetings as a forum to announce more funding under the much talked about $400-million Atlantic Fisheries Fund (AFF).
A total contribution of more than $18 million in projects was announced for N.L. investments and innovation in harvesting and handling technologies, seafood processing automation and modernization, and sustainable aquaculture production.
The funding allocations were as follows:
Harvesting Sector — More than $3.7 million for 54 projects throughout the province, targeting all three cod stocks in Newfoundland and Labrador that support commercial and stewardship fisheries. Projects are focused on improving quality of landings through adoption of harvesting and on-board handling technologies for inshore groundfish fisheries.
Processing Sector — Over $4.6 million for five projects throughout the province. Projects focus on cutting-edge technology, automation, and improving quality and productivity in the processing sector.
Aquaculture Sector — More than $1.5 million for four projects focused on improved technology and increasing aquaculture research to improve sustainability.
Science Partnerships — Over $4.3 million for a five-year scientific research project focused on filling key knowledge gaps to improve stock assessments, contribute to fisheries certification, and inform strategies for managing the impacts of climate and productivity changes.
Innovation/Research and Development — $4.5 million for a multi-year applied research and development project focused on driving innovation in the seafood sector by linking the demands of industry to the capacities of universities.
Among the more notable projects announced included a multi-million-dollar investment in a world-class ice management system at Icewater Seafoods in Arnold’s Cove. The total investment for the project is $4,454,000.
Icewater will contribute 25 per cent or $1,224,350 and the AFF will contribute the remaining 75 per cent, or $3,229,650, in the form of a conditionally repayable loan. This state-of-the-art ice management system is phase two of a multi-million-dollar, multi-year investment program for Icewater Seafoods. It allows Icewater Seafoods to maintain its position as one of the few world class producers of North Atlantic cod in the world.
“One of the most important things in our business is that fish remains as cold as possible from the moment its caught until it reaches our customers. We monitor temperature of the fish daily at every stage of the production process. Similarly, when our customers visit the plant from around the world, they come with temperature probes,” explained Alberto Wareham, President and CEO of Icewater Seafoods.
Another project that received AFF funding was an experimental redfish fishery in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. This harvester-initiated project is being led by FFAW-Unifor in close collaboration with the 4R3Pn fleets in the Gulf of St. Lawrence where the redfish stock is found.
The funding provided by AFF will contribute towards testing different gear types that aim to reduce bycatch of other species as well as to reduce the occurrence of undersized catch. Specifically, over $700,000 in total project costs will go directly to fishing equipment and charter costs for participating harvesters. Participating harvesters and the Union are contributing the remainder of the costs towards this project, for a total estimated project cost of $881,938.
