The Atlantic Council of Fisheries and Aquaculture
Ministers (ACFAM), met today to discuss economic and market access
challenges. The meeting was co-chaired by the Honourable Rick Doucet,
New Brunswick Minister of Fisheries, the Honourable Ron Ouellette, New
Brunswick Minister of Agriculture and Aquaculture and the Honourable
Gail Shea, federal Minister of Fisheries and Oceans.
"I was pleased to meet with my provincial and
territorial colleagues, and I look forward to continued work with them
to address the serious challenges facing our fisheries," said Minister
Shea. "Our government is making strategic investments, including through
our Economic Action Plan, to support the fisheries and aquaculture
sectors through the global economic crisis."
Ministers received a report from ACFAM's Marketing
Working Group, which has brought together fisheries management and
government marketing experts to explore opportunities for strategic
marketing of seafood products. Ministers agreed to the group�s
recommendation to implement a new "Canada East Network" to enhance
co-ordination, planning and communication, combine efforts on market
intelligence, and further explore new markets. Ministers thanked Quebec
for its leadership on this initiative.
Ministers discussed increased requirements for seafood
producers to demonstrate that their products are safe, sustainable and
legally harvested. Canada is well positioned in this regard, and
Ministers agreed to continue work with participants along the seafood
value chain to ensure that Canada continues to respond to market
requirements for traceability and certification.
They also discussed the challenges being faced by
industry participants and agreed that governments will continue working
together with industry to identify ways to help them through the
difficult financial times. The lobster fishery was one of the sectors
that received particular attention during the day�s deliberations.
"The global economic downturn is having a major impact
on sales of seafood, particularly products considered as luxury," said
Minister Doucet. "Provincial governments and the industry as well as
federal government must work closely together to come up with practical
measures to redefine this industry."
Ministers reiterated their strong support for
aquaculture and noted that the industry has further potential to expand
and provide significant economic benefits to coastal communities.
"Aquaculture is an important sector to New Brunswick
and has been identified as one of the areas that contribute to our
government�s self sufficiency agenda," said Minister Ouellette.
"Discussions today re-enforced the commitment of both levels of
government to work together in fostering sustainable growth of
aquaculture."
Finally, Ministers received an update on Canada�s
actions to date, particularly in Europe, to dispel myths and promote the
truth about the seal hunt. Ministers reaffirmed that Canada�s seal hunt
is humanely conducted, based on sound scientific and veterinary advice,
well regulated and closely monitored. Ministers noted that the Canadian
seal hunt remains essential to the livelihood of numerous harvesters in
small coastal communities.
The ACFAM is made up of Fisheries and Aquaculture
Ministers from the Atlantic Provinces, Quebec, Nunavut and the federal
government. The next ACFAM meeting will take place in Prince Edward
Island in September 2009.
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