NLIS 7
September 6, 2006
(Fisheries and Aquaculture)
Province can learn many
lessons from Icelandic fishery
�There are many lessons the Province of
Newfoundland and Labrador can learn from the Icelandic fishery,� said
Tom Rideout, Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture. Minister Rideout
just returned from accompanying Premier Danny Williams to Iceland. While
there, they attended meetings with a number of stakeholders in Iceland�s
very successful fishing industry.
�I had the honour of visiting Iceland during my last tenure as fisheries
minister and it was a pleasure to return after 20 years,� said Minister
Rideout. �One of the major differences I observed between this visit and
my last was that the Icelandic fishery has consolidated and
rationalized. Given the issues that we are addressing in our own
provincial fishery right now, this was a valuable opportunity for us to
learn about how to accomplish our goals in a manner that will benefit
the industry and our province as a whole.�
The minister noted that there has been incredible diversification in the
Iceland economy that is coming out of their fishery. Many companies that
started out servicing the fishing industry have actually grown to
service other industries on a global basis. Minister Rideout said, �This
provides important lessons on the economic contribution that our fishery
can make to the province and the role that it can play in the further
development of rural Newfoundland and Labrador.�
Iceland has been able to achieve great efficiency in its fishery. �We
met with their Marine Research Institute which carries out an incredible
volume of work in the areas of stock assessment and resource management.
They make excellent use of technology to collect timely and
comprehensive information on the status of industry activity. They also
work in a very collaborative manner with the university and industry,�
said Minister Rideout.
The minister says this demonstrates the need for greater research and
science in our own jurisdiction. �Clearly, good research and science
provide for very efficient and effective management of fish stocks. It
also provides the opportunity for greater collaboration with industry
and academia. Our government will pursue opportunities for exchanges
within our respective scientific communities to assist with shaping a
better model for scientific management of our own fish stocks.�
Minister Rideout said Iceland is an excellent model for achieving an
integrated approach to the fishery, with many quota holders in Iceland
having grown to be involved in harvesting, processing and marketing
activities. �Large successful companies have been built by people who
started out as fisherpersons. These companies have been able to grow and
become staples of the rural economy. This is an important lesson for our
province where the harvesting and processing sectors have been
characterized by instability,� said the minister.
�As we move forward in finding long term solutions for our fishery, we
will look at other jurisdictions internationally for appropriate models
of how to make our industry work for the benefit of the people of the
province,� said the minister. �We live in a global marketplace and our
industry must be able to compete in that environment.�
Minister Rideout said, �Our government will take the lessons learned
from Iceland very seriously as we move forward with addressing the
issues in our own fishery with our partners in industry and the federal
government. Newfoundland and Labrador is a province while Iceland is a
sovereign nation. They have more control over their fisheries resources.
That is why the Williams government will continue to work to build
greater levels of cooperation with the federal government on fisheries
matters.�
Media contact: Lori Lee Oates, ABC, Communications, (709) 729-3733,
690-8403, oatesll@gov.nl.ca
2006 09 06
2:50 p.m. |