NLIS 1
November 30, 2001
(Fisheries and Aquaculture)

 

Fisheries Diversification Program projects approved

Brian Tobin, federal Minister of Industry, Robert Thibault, Minister of State for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), and Gerry Reid, Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, for the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, yesterday provided an update on the Fisheries Diversification Program (FDP), and announced a further 49 projects worth a combined total of more than $3 million in funding. 

The program provides funding for research and development initiatives that reflect the strategic economic development priorities of the Newfoundland and Labrador fishing industry. 

"These projects are good examples of what both levels of government are doing to expand and diversify the fishing industry and create more jobs for the province," said Minister Tobin. "FDP is a wide-ranging program, tapping into many facets of the industry, maximizing by-products, and setting to break new ground in the global marketplace."

"The FDP program is a part of government's ongoing commitment to the further diversification of the fishing industry in Newfoundland and Labrador," said Minister Reid. "This program provides industry with the necessary funds to assist the province's seafood industry in diversifying to meet the challenges of severely reduced groundfish resources. Many of the projects which have already received funding, have proven to be very valuable to the industry."

The Fisheries Diversification Program is a $10 million program of the $81.25 million Canada-Newfoundland Agreement on the Economic Development Component of the Canadian Fisheries Adjustment and Restructuring Initiative announced in August 1999. Approximately $8.3 million of the FDP funding has been committed to date.

The final deadline for applications under this new program is March 31, 2002. More information on the FDP can be found on the new FDP website at www.gov.nl.ca/fishaq/FDP/default.htm. 

Media contact:

Jennifer Savoy
Press Secretary
Robert Thibault, Minister of State for ACOA
(613) 941-7291

Heidi Bonnell
Communications Director
Office of the Minister of Industry
(613) 995-9001

Elizabeth Matthews
Director of Communications
Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture
(709) 729-3733

Doug Burgess
Director of Communications
ACOA
(709) 772-2935

Kimberley Penney
Communications
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
(709) 772-4645


Backgrounder

Industry Projects ($1,744,494)

� The Southern Labrador Development Association received $10,000 to study the feasibility of establishing a seafood smoking operation in that area.

� Fisherman Calvin Petten of Coley's Point received $50,000 for the installation of a Refrigerated Seawater System on his fishing vessel.

� The Fish Harvesters Resource Centre of St. John's received $206,723 to fund two phases of research into the non-lethal extraction of roe from lumpfish.

� The Fish Harvesters Resource Centre of St. John's received a total of $85,000 to produce a television series on the new fishery entitled "The Fishery Now."

� The Fisheries Association of Newfoundland and Labrador and Fish, Food and Allied Workers Union of St. John's received $92,440 to deliver a shrimp quality improvement workshop for their members.

� The Fisheries Association of Newfoundland and Labrador and the Fish, Food and Allied Workers Union of St. John's have received $100,000 to conduct snow crab quality improvement workshops throughout the province.

� The Fisheries Association of Newfoundland and Labrador carried out a cod grading pilot project with the help of $60,000.

� Fisheries Association of Newfoundland and Labrador received $100,000 to carry out crab and shrimp quality improvement workshops throughout the province.

� Lower Trinity South Development Association received $38,850 to assess the seaweed biomass in the region.

� The Eastern Fish Markets of Fredrickton received $4,460 to investigate markets for fish silage.

� Quinlan Brothers Limited of Bay de Verde received $43,200 to investigate the concentration of stock solutions from crab and shrimp cook water.

� Higdon's Seafood Ltd. of New Harbour received $88,800 to market and promote value-added mussels.

� Atlantic Shell Fish Inc of Clarenville received $31,500 to carry out trials on improving the quality of imitation crab.

� Shawmut Fisheries Limited of Witless Bay received $21,636 to investigate the extraction of crab liver.

� Memorial University of Newfoundland received $25,000 to carry out tests on incorporating Omega-3 fatty acids into egg yolks.

� New Found Foods Incorporated of Portugal Cove received $53,040 for a project on the development of markets for secondary mussel products.

� The Burgeo Diversification Development Board received $17,058 to carry out a sea urchin survey in the region.

� The Marine Institute of St. John's has received $40,000 to carry out an investigation into the professionalization of processing workers in the fishing industry.

� Bonaventure-English Harbour Development Association will carry out trials to assess the seaweed biomass in the region with the help of $24,500.

� Wood-Pick Enterprises Limited of Wareham received $39,996 to develop new markets for sea cucumbers.

� The Marine Institute received $88,050 to design and test cod pots.

� Beothic Fish Processors Ltd. of Valleyfield received $60,000 to assist in the study of value-added toad crab products.

� The Newfoundland and Labrador Fish Harvesters Fleet (150 Pot) Association of St. John's will develop and maintain a Web site with the help of $20,000.

� The Newfoundland Aquaculture Industry Association of St. John's will develop markets for cultured mussels with the assistance of $149,000.
� The Newfoundland Seafood Market Council of St. John's has received $180,000 to develop markets for shrimp.

� Ocean Choice International Incorporated of St. John's will develop markets for cultured mussels and farmed cod products with the assistance of $99,450.

� Ramea Economic Development Association will carry out a study of sea urchin biomass in the region with the help of $10,991.

� Fisher Earl Johnson of North Harbour received $4,800 to study catamaran technology and its potential use in the Newfoundland and Labrador fishing industry.


Projects of the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture ($795,740)

� $601,150 to examine and investigate resource development opportunities for the province's fishing industry. The major emphasis is on opportunities that are available to the under 45' vessel sector and particularly to those vessels under 35'. These emerging fisheries opportunities include whelk, rock crab, toad crab and sea cucumber. 

� $35,000 to compile a series of species fact sheets on fish that have become part of the fishery in Newfoundland and Labrador during recent years. Species identified include: whelk, rock crab, toad crab, sea urchin, sea cucumber and marine plants.

� $4,000 to travel to UK, as part of a working group, to study (<35 foot) catamarans currently used in the UK fishery and determine their suitability for the Newfoundland and Labrador inshore fleet sector. 

� $155,590 for a project involving the demonstration of ensiling equipment at a number of fish processing sites. Ensiling stabilizes fish waste and involves the liquidization of protein-based material by chopping or grinding and adding an organic acid that preserves the finished product. The finished silage can be used for animal feeds, fish feed supplements, and fertilizer.


Projects of Fisheries and Oceans Canada ($470,711)

� $55,326 to complete work with fishers on turbot fishing gear selectivity.

� $50,000 to conduct an awareness campaign on the negative impact of gillnets on the marine environment.

� $32,935 to investigate methods of reducing lobster by-catch in the harvesting of rock crab.

� $30,000 working with fishers to investigate the impact of Danish seine nets on fish stocks.

� $22,500 to examine the impact of catch and release on Atlantic salmon stocks.

� $18,000 to carry out trials on reducing cod by-catch in American plaice gillnets.

� $30,000 to assist in the implementation of a North Atlantic Conference on Responsible Fishing at the Marine Institute in St. John's.

� $38,000 working with fishers to test methods of reducing the by-catch in shrimp beam trawls.

� $50,000 to help carry out a project with fishers to investigate the impact bottom shrimp trawling has on the marine environment.

� $37,900 to work with fishers to investigate methods of reducing the by-catch of crab in turbot gillnets.

� $20,250 to work with educators and fishing industry stakeholders to develop a Responsible Fishing curriculum module for use in Newfoundland and Labrador high schools.


� $30,000 towards workshops on the use of Conservation Harvesting Technology in harvesting such species as crab, shrimp and turbot.

� $5,000 to carry out workshops with fishers on avoiding salmonid by-catch in eel fyke nets

� $5,000 to conduct a workshop with fishers on the impact of scallop fishing on lobster environmental habitat.

� $22,000 to work with fishers to document caplin and juvenile groundfish by-catch in shrimp trawls and investigate means to avoid by-catch.

� $23,800 for a project with fishers to study the by-catch in herring bait nets.

2001 11 30                               9:55 a.m.


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