Minister calls on federal government to implement task force report

Fisheries and Aquaculture Minister Trevor Taylor today called on the federal government to implement all the recommendations of the Task Force on Fostering a Sustainable Salmon Farming Industry in Atlantic Canada, rather than create an unfair playing field by focusing on only one issue facing the industry.

The federal government announced this week that it was providing $20 million in aid to the New Brunswick salmon aquaculture industry to assist salmon farm operators who lost their stocks to disease.

�I am disappointed the federal government would provide $20 million in aid to address one issue contained in the task force report and ignore the rest of the recommendations,� Minister Taylor said. �The federal government�s decision to provide assistance to the New Brunswick salmon aquaculture industry and not address the problems facing the industry as a whole creates an unlevel playing field and threatens the future development of the industry in Atlantic Canada.�

This province participated in the task force initiative on fostering a sustainable salmon farming industry in the Atlantic region, with the provinces of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. The task force put forth recommendations to the federal minister in April 2005 designed to deal with the broad issues impeding salmon aquaculture growth in Atlantic Canada.

�We would have hoped the federal government would have the foresight to implement all of the recommendations in this report. The serious challenges faced by the salmonid industry in Atlantic Canada since 2002 have resulted in losses in the millions of dollars. The impact is similar in scope to the BSC crisis in Canada�s cattle industry in 2003, which resulted in over $1 billion in aid to the cattle industry,� Minister Taylor said. �We believe the aquaculture industry should have access to the same safety-net programs to provide relief from losses to ensure the continued viability of the industry.�

Minister Taylor has written federal Fisheries Minister Geoff Regan, asking him to rethink his government�s response to the task force report. A crucial recommendation pertains to the implementation of an Aquaculture Framework Agreement, which this province considers a priority for the future development of the industry. The Aquaculture Framework Agreement should be similar to what exists for the agriculture industry and should provide business risk management, technological and research supports to help the industry grow.

�We are extremely concerned that the federal approach to this issue is different than the approach to the cattle industry. Like land-based farmers, the salmonid industry has to contend with market conditions and losses caused by disease and adverse weather,� Minister Taylor said. �Salmonid growers in Newfoundland and Labrador are facing all of the same issues, without having access to federal support to rise above them, unlike their counterparts in New Brunswick.�

The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is committed to working with the other provinces, industry and the federal government on the continued development and sustainability of the aquaculture industry for the benefit of our coastal communities and economies. The province calls on the federal government to give this industry equal priority.

The task force report can be found at
//www.mar.dfo mpo.gc.ca/communications/maritimes/taskforce-e.html

Media contact: Tracy Barron, Communications (709) 729-3733 or 690-6157

2005 07 14                3:05 p.m.