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December 5, 1996
(Fisheries and Aquaculture)


Northern shrimp announcement to benefit inshore fishery adjacent to resource

Fisheries and Aquaculture Minister John Efford welcomes his federal counterpart's announcement that access to the northern shrimp resource may be increased if the quotas also increase.

"The northern shrimp resource in the past has been of little benefit to our inshore fishery, and I have made repeated representations to Minister Mifflin and his department about the need to provide greater participation in this fishery by inshore vessels immediately adjacent to this resource. Mr. Mifflin's initiative means that for the first time ever, inshore fish harvesters may have access to this great resource. I commend Mr. Mifflin for his action, and the cooperation he has given the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador on this issue," Mr. Efford said.

To date, the northern shrimp fishery has been prosecuted by offshore freezer trawlers off eastern Newfoundland, along the Labrador coast and into Davis Strait. There are 17 licence holders, eight of which are held in Newfoundland and Labrador. The combined shrimp quota for 1996 is 37,600 tonnes and each licence receives an equal allocation.

Mr. Mifflin announced this week that his department will be seeking industry views and proposals on how to share increases in northern shrimp quotas for 1997 and beyond. Proposals will be reviewed at a meeting in St. John's in January.

Mr. Efford said this "presents a significant economic development opportunity for those regions of the province adjacent to the northern shrimp resource. Those regions must be the primary beneficiaries of benefits associated with any increase in quotas for the resource."

"Our inshore fish harvesters have the capability to prosecute this fishery, and there are plants which have a strong interest in providing onshore processing opportunities. I encourage industry to take advantage of this new opportunity and submit proposals to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans," he said.

Mr. Efford said that the announcement, together with recent recommendations relative to the limited re-opening of the 3Ps and West Coast cod fisheries, "demonstrates that the rebuilding of our fishery has taken a turn for the better. I am encouraged by these developments and I am confident that this shrimp resource opportunity will strengthen our fishery and will provide welcome economic benefits to those who will participate in the harvesting and processing sectors of this fishery."

The minister also noted that the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture has already undertaken specific initiatives relative to inshore shrimp, Atlantic king crab and porcupine crab.

Contact: Josephine Cheeseman, Director of Communications, (709) 729-3733.

1996 12 05 2:45 p.m.

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