Fisheries and
Aquaculture
May 25, 2010
The following statement was given today in the House of Assembly by
the Honourable Clyde Jackman, Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture:
Aquaculture Conference Attract International Industry
I rise in this honourable house today to inform members present and
the public of the events of the Cold Harvest 2010 annual meetings,
conference and trade show. These are annual activities hosted by the
Newfoundland Aquaculture Industry Association (NAIA). As well, this year
the national conference for the Aquaculture Association of Canada was
held in St. John's, in conjunction with the NAIA conference. Together,
the two conferences attracted 350 delegates from across the province,
country and throughout the globe, including representatives from Norway,
Ireland and the United States and Iceland. As well, there was
representation from all provinces and territories.
Our province is an important growth centre for aquaculture in Canada
and internationally right now. The Newfoundland and Labrador aquaculture
industry reached record levels of production in 2009. The market value
increased to $92 million last year, representing a 45.9 per cent
increase over 2008. To build on this phenomenal growth, our government
has invested significantly in aquaculture infrastructure and research in
Budget 2010: The Right Investments — For Our Children and Our Future.
This includes investment in the Centre for Aquaculture Health and
Development, biosecurity initiatives and the Aquaculture Capital Equity
Program.
My department was glad to have the opportunity to co-host the joint
Cold Harvest and Aquaculture 2010 annual conference from May 16 to 19.
As well, we invested $50,000 to support event planning and hosting of
this year's conference. These events represent important networking
opportunities for the entire aquaculture industry, as reflected in this
year's theme Successful Partnerships for a Sustainable Future.
During the conference, I attended the opening to welcome the
delegates to St. John's. I had the opportunity to meet with the members
of the NAIA board of directors. At that time we discussed issues such as
growth and marketing of the mussel sector, biosecurity and
infrastructure needs. I also attended the closing gala and banquet where
the award was presented for Aquaculturist of the Year, to Geoff Ball of
B&B Forest Products in Northern Arm.
Aquaculture is a key component of our government's strategy for
creating employment and economic benefits in rural areas of the
province. We are pleased to see the international aquaculture industry
visiting the province as we continue to grow. We certainly encourage
them to come back to Newfoundland and Labrador at any time.
2010 05 25 1:55 p.m.
