Fisheries and Aquaculture
April 30, 2013
Request for Proposals Evaluates Opportunities for Yellowtail Harvesting and Processing
A Request for Proposals announced today by the Provincial Government will evaluate an alternative approach for the harvesting, processing and marketing of yellowtail flounder. The initiative will be open to individuals or groups with the appropriate suite of groundfish harvesting and processing licences.“Our government looks forward to working with interested fishing enterprises and processing companies that wish to explore the possibility of harvesting, processing and marketing yellowtail flounder,” said the Honourable Derrick Dalley, Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture. “The Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture will monitor and assess results with technical support from the Fisheries and Marine Institute of Memorial University of Newfoundland. Those results will formulate an economic study of the yellowtail resource.”
Participants of the initiative will have an opportunity to access up to two million pounds of 3LNO yellowtail flounder quota currently under lease to Icewater Harvesting Inc. through the Atlantic Offshore Groundfish Enterprise Allocation Program. In addition, as part of the Ocean Choice International Limited agreements announced on December 21, 2012, future underutilized yellowtail quota will also be available to interested parties.
Applications will be accepted immediately. Applicants are encouraged to contact Bill Molloy, Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, at 709-729-1076. All projects must be completed in 2013. More information in regard to the Request for Proposals is contained in the backgrounder below.
“The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador encourages innovation in the fishery which has the potential to provide a greater economic benefit for the people of the province,” said Minister Dalley. “This initiative will permit Newfoundland and Labrador fishing enterprises licensed to fish yellowtail in the province to evaluate and to demonstrate that they can achieve a positive result in harvesting, processing and marketing yellowtail flounder. The Provincial Government looks forward to the outcome of the individual projects.”
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Media contact:Bradley Power
Director of Communications
Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture
709-729-3733, 699-5707
bradleypower@gov.nl.ca
BACKGROUNDER
Scope of the Yellowtail Flounder Request for Proposals
Harvesters and processors will be required to obtain the appropriate approvals from the provincial and federal government, and follow all regulations established by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) to harvest yellowtail. Harvesters and processors will be responsible for all licensing fees.
All raw materials (yellowtail and by-catch) must be processed in accordance with current provincial policies and regulations, including the Minimum Processing Requirements.
The Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture will coordinate monitoring onboard vessels and in processing facilities. The information to be collected throughout the project will formulate an economic study of harvesting, processing and marketing yellowtail flounder resources.
All information collected throughout the initiative will determine the economic viability of harvesting, processing, and marketing yellowtail in Newfoundland and Labrador.
For more information interested proponents are encouraged to visit: www.fishaq.gov.nl.ca/research_development/YellowtailRFP.html.
2013 04 30 2:50 p.m.