Fisheries and Aquaculture
February 22, 2008

The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador has a long history of participation in the Boston Seafood Show and is continuing that tradition again this year. The show is the pre-eminent seafood show in North America and every year the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture makes the most of this opportunity to network with the global seafood industry to promote the province�s seafood products to the world. The show takes place from February 24 to 27.

The Honourable Tom Rideout, Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, will be in Boston for the show again this year and will deliver the message that Newfoundland and Labrador has some of the best seafood products in the global marketplace. "It�s always a pleasure to return to Boston and meet with industry representatives to promote our province�s seafood. My department and the provincial delegation always make the most of this opportunity and we�re looking forward to doing so again this year."

Boston is a major distribution point for seafood products entering the important United States marketplace. As well, New England is an important market for seafood in its own right. As such it is critical to have a presence at the show and establish effective connects in the Boston area. Approximately 30 Newfoundland and Labrador seafood companies will participate in this year�s show.

The show provides an opportunity to display seafood products from both the province�s wild fishery and growing aquaculture industry. Aquaculture producers from across the global will be in Boston and some of them will likely be considering expanding into the growing Newfoundland and Labrador aquaculture industry.

In Budget 2007, the Provincial Government allocated $12.5 million for an Aquaculture Capital Equity Investment Program. Minister Rideout said, "The province is an attractive location to potential investors at this time. Many of them will be in Boston and many of them are interested in receiving further information on our province�s growing aquaculture industry."

Every year, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador hosts a reception for industry representatives attending the show. Seafood producers within the province provide seafood products which the Provincial Government will showcase at the reception which is attended by key industry contacts from across the globe. "The Newfoundland and Labrador reception is one of the most prominent networking events of the Boston Seafood Show," said Minister Rideout. "We are very pleased to show our hospitality to the world every year in hosting this event which is always one of the highlights of the industry�s time in Boston."

The Newfoundland and Labrador reception will also showcase the winning dish from the province�s second annual seafood cooking competition, which the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture sponsors. The winners of this year�s first prize were Ryan Norris and Brian Abbott, of the College of the North Atlantic�s Marine Cooking Program. They won the opportunity to go to the Boston Seafood Show and showcase their winning dish at the Newfoundland and Labrador reception.

While in Boston, Minister Rideout will attend the industry roundtable breakfast, the federal-provincial CEOs� luncheon, the New Brunswick reception, the Canadian reception, a meeting with major Canadian producers and tour the Highliner plant in Danvers, Massachusetts.

"I look forward to another successful year at the Boston Seafood Show and working with our provincial producers to effectively market their products to the global industry," said Minister Rideout. "This will continue to be a priority for our government."

In Budget 2007, the Provincial Government allocated $100,000 to enhance the marketing and promotion of the province�s seafood products and increase participation in international trade shows and exhibitions. As well, $265,000 was allocated to support new initiatives aimed at addressing seafood trade and market barriers.

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Media contact:

Lori Lee Oates
Director of Communications
Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture
709-739-3733, 690-8403
oatesll@gov.nl.ca

2008 02 22                                                      9:30 a.m.