Atlantic Council of Fisheries Ministers’ Meeting

St. John's, Newfoundland, April 27, 2000 -- 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 St. John's. The meeting was co-chaired by the Honourable John Efford, Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture for Newfoundland and Labrador, and the Honourable Herb Dhaliwal, Federal Minister of Fisheries and Oceans.

"We all face unique challenges in our respective fisheries on a daily basis, whether it be the sealing industry, vessel replacement, quality, or resource allocation, the success of our fisheries depends on a collective approach," said Minister Efford. "Through a cooperative effort, we can further strengthen our fisheries and work towards developing new opportunities for the thousands of people in Atlantic Canada who depend on this important industry. Today's discussions reinforced the need to continue working together on fisheries issues."

"I am very pleased with my counterparts' continued commitment to making progress on fisheries issues," said Minister Dhaliwal. "Through our collaborative efforts, we are providing sound economic opportunities based on conservation and the sustainable development of our oceans and fisheries resources."

At today's meeting, Ministers discussed the implementation of the Marshall decision in the Maritimes. All Ministers clearly supported access to the commercial fishery for affected First Nations based on the Supreme Court decision.

The PEI Minister, however, stressed that there must be no new capacity added to the lobster fishery and all avenues must be explored by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) to ensure that this is the case prior to the opening of the season.

The Nova Scotia Minister emphasized the importance of keeping the commercial sector informed of the details of the interim agreements. He added that it is especially important that the food fishery be properly controlled, and details of the controls should be communicated to traditional fishers.

Ministers noted the DFO's recent appointment of an eminent panel of experts on seals. The work of this panel will add valuable knowledge to the many collaborative initiatives presently underway at DFO to actively manage the Canadian seal population and ensure a viable seal industry. Minister Dhaliwal also provided the Council with the recent results of the harp seal population assessment. In addition, Ministers agreed on the need for a coordinated approach by governments and industry to move forward on addressing restrictions caused by the United States Marine Mammal Protection Act for marketing of seal products in the United States.

Ministers recognized the importance of aquaculture for Canada through the inclusion of "aquaculture" in the official title of the Council for future meetings (Atlantic Council of Fisheries and Aquaculture Ministers). The New Brunswick Minister supported the need for future investments for research and development to ensure a sustainable aquaculture industry. All Ministers committed to work collaboratively to streamline the site approval process, avoid duplication in services and promote the growth of the industry through the provision of appropriate programs and investments.

The Commissioner for Aquaculture Development, Mr. Yves Bastien, presented a status report outlining the progress made to date on the legislative and regulatory review for aquaculture. He also provided information on the recent announcement of the $400,000 funding of projects under the Aquaculture Partnership Program. Ministers discussed specific issues in support of aquaculture development in Atlantic Canada and Quebec.

During a discussion on the issue of DFO vessel replacement rules and safety in the fishing industry, Minister Dhaliwal reassured the Council that safety on the water is one of his top priorities. He also agreed to work with the provinces on a policy to improve safety in the harvesting sector.

Minister Dhaliwal also outlined the latest results of the federal Groundfish Licence Retirement Program. To date, 1,857 licences have been retired at a value of $162.7 million. This represents more than three times the number of licences that were removed during the two rounds of licence retirement under the Atlantic Groundfish Strategy.

Minister Dhaliwal updated the Council on Canada's efforts to encourage other countries to ratify the United Nations Fish Agreement (UNFA). This Agreement is important to halt the depletion of global fish stocks and the Canadian government is actively engaged in discussions with other countries to ensure ratification of the Agreement. UNFA requires 30 ratifications to enter into force. At present, in addition to Canada, 25 states have ratified UNFA, including Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) contracting parties such as the United States, Russia, Iceland and Norway.

Minister Efford informed ministers about his Department's ongoing quality assurance initiatives and the solid progress Newfoundland and Labrador has made in producing superior quality seafood products for world markets. Ministers agreed on the importance of ensuring that top quality Canadian products are delivered to markets around the world.

Minister Dhaliwal provided information on federal activities related to the maintenance of harbours and wharves. Ministers noted that the proper maintenance of these infrastructures is essential to the success of the commercial fishery in Atlantic Canada. Ministers also supported the need for additional funding for fishery science programs.

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. Minister Dhaliwal committed to share the AFPR discussion document with his provincial and territorial colleagues prior to its finalization.

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