COVID-19 37 results

Union Lobbies for Support for Harvesters and Plant Workers

The Fish, Food and Allied Workers Union (FFAW) claims the effects of COVID-19 were slow to hit the fishing industry and is calling for the Canadian government to give harvesters and fish plant workers financial support after the difficulties of the 2023 season. “We represent people that bring in the new dollars to our province,” said FFAW Secretary-Treasurer Jason Spingle. “We’ve said it before and rightfully so, there’s been primary industries like farming or the automobile ...

Halifax International Boat Show Postponed

Boating Atlantic and Master Promotions Ltd. are announcing the postponement of the Halifax International Boat Show, which was scheduled for March 3-6, 2022. The next edition of the Halifax International Boat Show will now take place in February 2023. With the province announcing the extension of the current restrictions into mid-February, the runway has become far too short to present a quality event for both the exhibitor and attendee.   Promising Spring Ahead! Master Promot...

Fish Canada Workboat Canada Delayed Until March

Master Promotions Ltd. announced today that the Fish Canada Workboat Canada show, originally scheduled to take place January 21-22, 2022, has been delayed. The event will now take place March 25 - 26, 2022 at the Moncton Coliseum. This decision was not made lightly, but due to the increasing spread of the new COVID-10 variant and new gathering restrictions, we felt compelled to take action. As always, the health and safety of our exhibitors, partners, visitors, and contractors remains our ...

Annual N.S. Fisheries Minister’s Conference Going Digital

The Nova Scotia Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture is once again partnering with the Aquaculture Association of Nova Scotia (AANS) for the annual Minister’s Conference and the AANS Seafarmers Conference. Only this time around, the conference has gone virtual, with a series of five, 90-minute online seafood industry sessions being held between Feb. 25 and April 8 that are free of charge to attend just by registering online. A sixth conference session will feature the Minister’s ...

COVID-19 Impact on Lobster Markets a Daily Concern

Above: Lonnie Snow photo   It is day by day for lobster buyers and dealers in the Maritimes, as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact markets around the world. “The marketplace continues to be a work-in-progress,” said Leo Muise, executive director of the Nova Scotia Seafood Alliance. “As of the end of January, we can report that 2020 was rather challenging in the seafood sector and the initial weeks of 2021 have been similarly so.” Muise said the market in ...

Date Change for Major Commercial Fishing Expo

Canada's longest-running, most successful commercial fishing show is being postponed. The Eastern Canadian Fisheries Exposition traditionally takes place around the end of January at the Mariners Centre in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. Organizers behind the show have made the decision to delay this year’s edition until June 4-5, 2021. The 2021 dates for this biennial event were originally slated for slightly later than usual in early March, with hopes for more consistently positive developments ...

Glimmer at End of the Pandemic Tunnel

It is no secret that the COVID-19 pandemic has shaken the global seafood industry to its core. Traditionally, Atlantic lobster has been one of the key commodities driving the seafood engine locally and around the world. So, what will the 2021 lobster season have in store for harvesters, buyers and processors? A mere 12–14 months ago, not even the world’s biggest pessimist would have predicted the pandemic-driven fear and turmoil that gripped the entire globe. But it happened and the ...

Nova Scotia Seafood Exports Still Strong Despite COVID-19

Minister Confident Industry is Up to the Task to Overcome 2021 Challenges Above: Lonnie Snow photo   In spite of the impact COVID-19 had on markets in 2020, seafood exports from Nova Scotia are still expected to top the $2-billion mark when all is tallied for the year. “Despite the year’s troubles, we are still able to proudly proclaim Nova Scotia as Canada’s top exporter of seafood for five years running, and seafood as Nova Scotia’s highest valued export at about  ...

N.L. Minister Optimistic for Industry Growth in 2021

Above: David Greening photo   Despite COVID-19 challenges, overall, 2020 was a “decent year” for the fishing and aquaculture industries in Newfoundland and Labrador, said Minister of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture Elvis Loveless. “Overall, from a blanket point of view, I think most would agree we had a decent year in what we would call the biggest industry in this province in terms of importance,” said Loveless in an interview, noting more than 16,000 people are ...

Demand for Seafood Remains Strong, says N.B. Minister

Since becoming New Brunswick’s Minister of Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries in September 2020, Margaret Johnson says she has spoken to numerous fisheries and aquaculture associations and organizations and “looks forward to continuing the dialogue in 2021.” Looking back on 2020, in a statement to The Navigator, Johnson said “While there was a reduction in seafood exports in 2020 as the result of the COVID-19 pandemic and many of our promotional activities were cancelled, demand ...