Atlantic Council of Fisheries Minister’s Meeting

QUEBEC CITY, Quebec, September 22, 1999 -- The Atlantic Council of Fisheries Ministers (ACFM), composed of Ministers responsible for Fisheries and Aquaculture for Atlantic Canada, Quebec, Nunavut and the federal government, met today in Quebec City. The meeting was co-chaired by Rémy Trudel, Quebec Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, and Herb Dhaliwal, Federal Minister of Fisheries and Oceans.

"We are pleased with the discussions we had today in the federal minister's presence," said Mr. Trudel on behalf of his counterparts from Nunavut and the Atlantic provinces. "It is important that this Council serve as an effective vehicle to share our opinions and co-ordinate our actions in areas of common interest for the development of our respective maritime communities."

"I am very pleased to have had this opportunity to meet with my counterparts from Atlantic Canada for the first time in the context of the ACFM," said Mr. Dhaliwal. "I am committed to working very closely with my provincial and territorial colleagues to improve the effectiveness and strength of our working relationships."

At today's meeting, Ministers agreed on terms of reference aimed at increasing the Council's effectiveness in dealing with issues related to Atlantic Fisheries and Aquaculture and the development of these industries in coastal communities. The terms of reference reflect the principles of the Agreement on Interjurisdictional Cooperation, which strives to improve cooperation and collaboration between governments on the main issues facing the fisheries and aquaculture sectors.

The Supreme Court decision on the Marshall case was prominent in the Ministers' discussions today. There was clear recognition from all jurisdictions on the need to clarify the implications of the Court's decision and to put in place a management regime that ensures conservation objectives are not compromised and is fair to other interests in the fisheries.

"My objective is to follow the direction of the court in a manner that will ensure conservation, and is fair to the interest of all," said Minister Dhaliwal. "It is in no one's immediate or long-term interest to act in a manner that jeopardizes the resource, or erodes future opportunities."

Minister Dhaliwal reassured his colleagues that this situation has his full attention and that he has instructed his officials to meet over the next few days with aboriginal communities and other affected parties.

Minister Dhaliwal noted that development of a full response will require the participation of a number of federal colleagues as well as provinces. He indicated that he would be seeking full cooperation with his colleagues to ensure a coordinated and comprehensive response is adopted. All Ministers joined Minister Dhaliwal in his appeal for patience, restraint and goodwill during this period of some uncertainty and agreed to work cooperatively on this important issue.

Minister Dhaliwal provided his counterparts with an update on the status of the Atlantic Fisheries Policy Review (AFPR) led by the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans. The AFPR is intended to develop a comprehensive and cohesive policy framework for the management of Canada's East Coast fish stocks. Some Ministers raised concerns over the existing policy regarding resource allocation based on decisions that have been taken previously by DFO on some East Coast resources. Ministers agreed that resource allocation principles will be an important aspect of the AFPR, and as such, consultations will continue with stakeholders and ACFM members. Recognizing the significance of the review currently underway, Ministers agreed on the importance of ensuring input from sector stakeholders, provincial governments and the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board throughout the process.

Minister Dhaliwal also presented to the Council an overview of the Atlantic Groundfish Licence Retirement Program. To date, a total of 1,642 licences have been removed, at a total cost of $143.1 million. Minister Dhaliwal reiterated that the Program will not affect permanent fleet shares for allocation purposes. Any decisions required subsequent to the Program's conclusion would be preceded by appropriate consultations with provinces, Nunavut and stakeholders.

Ministers discussed the work of the Federal-Provincial Atlantic Fisheries Working Group on historical shares of shellfish. Minister Dhaliwal informed the Council that provincial shares developed through this process would be used as an indicator to monitor relative provincial shares in the future, especially in the context of capacity management initiatives. On the question of provincial shares, no consensus was reached but New Brunswick and Quebec had strong positions.

The Council discussed a number of other topics, including the work under way to evaluate the status of seal stocks, the regulatory review and the implications of the U.S. Marine Mammal Protection Act. It was noted that the Federal government is committed to seek appropriate amendments to this Act.

Some Ministers impressed upon the federal Minister the need for additional financial resources to be made available for fishery enforcement and research.

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