NLIS 6
November 28, 2005
(Fisheries and Aquaculture)
The following statement was issued
today by Trevor Taylor, as alternate Minister of Fisheries and
Aquaculture. It was also read in the House of Assembly:
I rise today to inform the House of a unique initiative of fisheries
and aquaculture ministers from Eastern Canada in promoting the
region�s aquaculture industry in the nation�s capital earlier this
month.
As the first alternate minister for fisheries and aquaculture, I
joined with ministers from Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and New
Brunswick in the Aquaculture Promotion Initiative on November 14,15
and 16. The initiative was designed to educate MPs and Senators
about the importance of the aquaculture industry to rural and
coastal communities. We met with the Atlantic caucus of the
Conservative, Liberal and NDP parties, and co-hosted a reception of
Canadian aquaculture products on Parliament Hill. Representatives
from Quebec and British Columbia also participated in this
initiative.
These meetings resulted in our federal representatives getting a
greater level of knowledge and understanding about the industry, its
potential and the need for the development of national policy and
programs for the industry. We took the initiative to engage our
federal representatives and present them with an informative
overview of the industry. Our federal representatives have a role to
play in helping facilitate a cooperative approach with the federal
and provincial governments. They now have the information they need
to assist the provinces in engaging the federal government.
As provincial ministers, we called on our federal representatives to
get to know the industry and to help dispel the myths that threaten
its continued growth. We believe aquaculture represents a tremendous
opportunity in stabilizing and growing our rural economies.
The provinces have created a model for interprovincial cooperation
with a message that cannot be ignored. Rural and coastal areas
across the country are facing the same issues as it relates to the
loss of traditional resource industries. Aquaculture is an industry
that can only exist in rural and coastal communities.
Aquaculture has tremendous potential in this province. Total
production is expected to increase by 27 per cent this year over
2004. We are producing 4,100 metric tones of salmonids this year and
3,000 metric tones of mussels. We have some of the only remaining
sites suitable for development in Eastern Canada and we are
attracting the interest of outside investors. As well, we were very
encouraged in August when one of the province�s leading traditional
seafood companies, the Barry Group, took over the former North
Atlantic Seafood Corporation from the receivers.
The top seafood processing plant in Newfoundland and Labrador
produces fresh, farmed salmon year-round. Cod is the next major farm
species worldwide and we have the technology, expertise and the
right biophysical conditions to take advantage of this opportunity.
With less than 10 per cent of aquaculture space currently being
utilized, we are committed to developing this industry for the
benefit of our rural communities.
2005 11 28
2:00 p.m. |