Minister meets with Icelandic Ambassador to discuss custodial management

The province continues to promote the concept of custodial management, both nationally and internationally, as a viable option for managing the fisheries resources outside of Canada�s 200-mile limit. Gerry Reid, Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, will meet today with Hjalmar W. Hannesson, the Icelandic Ambassador to Canada.

"I welcome the opportunity to meet with Mr. Hannesson, so that I can put forward to him the province�s position on custodial management," said Minister Reid. "It is important that we educate those countries involved in the fishery, about the impact of foreign overfishing, and the irresponsible fishing practices which detrimentally affect the resource."

Continued infractions by NAFO member countries outside of the 200-mile limit, and the demonstrated lack of effectiveness of NAFO as it relates to managing to the fisheries resources, continues to cause great concern for the province. In an effort to resolve the issue related to foreign overfishing, the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture developed a model for custodial management, whereby Canada would manage those waters in a manner which promotes rebuilding and maintaining a sustainable fishery for future generations.

"There is a misperception out there, that we are attempting to drive foreign vessels off the Nose and Tail of the Grand Banks," added the minister. "This is simply not the case. We respect the historic rights of foreign countries, and we do not wish to deprive them of these rights. Rather, we propose that Canada take custody of those waters, to ensure that rational and conservation-based principles are applied and enforced. I will be explaining this to Mr. Hannesson, and I am hopeful that he will be receptive to the idea of custodial management."

Over the past several months, Minister Reid has taken every available opportunity to advance the idea of custodial management. He has spoken with several national and international media outlets, as well as European Union (EU) and German parliamentarians, and organizations such as the St. John�s Board of Trade. He has also brought this issue forward to the federal government on several occasions. He has written and spoken with Minister Thibault, and his provincial counterparts. He has made presentations to the Prime Minister�s Round Table on the Environment and the Economy, and his presentation to the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans resulted in a unanimous recommendation by the committee to the federal minister, to adopt custodial management as an official Canadian policy.

Media contact: Elizabeth Matthews, Communications, (709) 729-3733, or (709) 727-3438.

2002 09 13                                     11:30 a.m.