November 23, 1999
(Fisheries and Aquaculture)

The following statement was issued today by R. John Efford, Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture. It was also read in the House of Assembly:

It gives me pleasure to inform my honourable colleagues of the continued good news involving our fishing industry. I think we all agree that the fishing industry contributes significantly to the economy of Newfoundland and Labrador and, without a doubt, remains the economic cornerstone of our rural economy.

We have broken many records in the fishery over the past five years and this year is no exception in the positive things that are taking place in our fishing industry, which has become private sector driven. In 1999 we expect our production value to exceed $900-million, which will be an all-time high. We have already broken last year's record for the landed value of our fish and are now approaching the $500 million mark. This is up from approximately $384 million last year, which was also a new landed value record.

Today we harvest over 40 species of fish from which we derive approximately 160 fish products exported to countries such as Japan, United States, the European Union and China. The sale of these fish products generates new wealth for Canada and, more importantly, new wealth for Newfoundland and Labrador.

Our fishery, which has received no government financing for either primary harvesting or processing since I became minister in 1996, is indeed a major employer in this province. In 1999 our fishery will directly employ 27,000 people in the harvesting and processing sectors, and another 7,000 people indirectly. That's a total of 34,000 jobs created this year by our revitalized fishing industry. The average monthly employment in fish processing from January to October this year is up 28 per cent over the same period last year. In fact, July employment levels in fish processing of 15,600 were the highest July employment levels recorded since 1990.

The direct and indirect impacts of our revitalized fishery benefit a number of businesses throughout the province, and indeed the impacts are felt throughout every sector of our economy. Boat builders, suppliers of netting, equipment and engines, and the trucking industry all benefit substantially from fish harvesting.

To give my honourable colleagues two examples, there are approximately 30 boatyards throughout the province and in 1998-99, these yards either built or repaired over 850 vessels, employing over 500 people. The impact of the fishery on the trucking industry is substantial. Trucking companies collect landed product and transport goods and materials to and from processing plants. There are over 270 sites in the province where fish is landed. This year, employment in raw product transport is expected to total 900 people.

As well, final processed products are trucked to ports for shipment to final markets, and in the crab fishery alone, the equivalent of 1,800 tractor trailer loads of processed fish products are expected to be shipped out of the province this year.

The evidence of the fishery's important link to other sectors in our province is quite clear. The continued growth of the fishing industry translates into continued economic growth throughout rural Newfoundland and Labrador. The fishery has always been and will always be a main contributor to the economic expansion in our province and the foundation for a prosperous future for the people of Newfoundland and Labrador.

1999 11 23                       2:30 p.m.