Fisheries and Land Resources
 December 29, 2017

2017 Was a Year of Progress and Achievement for Department of Fisheries and Land Resources

The new Department of Fisheries and Land Resources emerges from 2017 with a sharp focus on fisheries, aquaculture, forestry, agriculture, wildlife and lands, to better support economic development, growth and sustainability.

Guided by The Way Forward and the Cabinet Committee on Jobs, the department is working to revitalize and develop traditional and emerging industries – on land and on water – that will support and sustain a better future for Newfoundland and Labrador.

Some highlights from 2017:

  • Growing the aquaculture industry and stimulating private sector employment through a work plan developed in partnership with the Newfoundland Aquaculture Industry Association. Launched this fall during an Aquaculture Industry Summit, the plan will grow salmon production to 50,000 metric tonnes annually, and mussel production to 10,750 metric tonnes. In achieving these targets, the number of year-round jobs supported by aquaculture will more than double, from 1,000 to 2,100.
  • Partnering with the Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Agriculture and Food First NL to jointly implement a new Agriculture Sector Work Plan. Through this work plan, by 2020 provincial food self-sufficiency and the number of people directly employed in agriculture will double.
  • Establishing Newfoundland and Labrador’s Fisheries Advisory Council which is providing advice on maximizing the value of available fish resources to the provincial economy through a collaborative stakeholder approach.
  • Increasing efforts to promote and encourage development of agricultural land by identifying 62 areas of interest totaling approximately 64,000 hectares to increase agriculture development.
  • Establishing a new Centre for Agriculture and Forestry Development allows for expanded use of a valuable facility to advance growth in two of the province’s renewable resource sectors.
  • Combining agriculture and lands management staff achieves a more efficient delivery of the Crown land application process.
  • Including Natural Areas Section into the Agriculture and Lands Branch results in faster delivery of Natural Areas programs through more efficient land-conflict resolution.
  • Successfully negotiating $37 million over five years through the New Canadian Agricultural Partnership to provide support to the agriculture and agrifoods industry to continue to make critical investments in markets and trade; science, research and innovation; risk management; environmental sustainability and climate change; value-added agriculture and agri-food processing and public trust.
  • Implementing transformative changes to the provincial Wildlife Act and Regulations to improve access to hunting through lowering of the minimum hunting age, expanding the Program for Hunters with a Disability and setting earlier application dates for the provincial big game draw.
  • Fulfilling commitment to protecting, conserving and safeguarding the integrity of Mistaken Point while promoting the site as a world-class tourist destination. This includes working to establish Mistaken Point World Heritage Advisory Council, which will advise about on-site conservation and presentation and ensure the lines of communication remain open between the department and local organizations and stakeholders.
  • Securing the $100 million Atlantic Fisheries Fund, which will strengthen our fishery, protect and grow jobs for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians employed in the seafood sector, and assist with expediting the large-scale, industry-wide transition to groundfish that our province requires.

Quote
“Guided by the vision outlined in The Way Forward, our government is fully committed to managing traditional and emerging industries in a manner that will benefit Newfoundlanders and Labradorians for decades to come. The positive response we received during 2017 to our initiatives proved we are on the right track. We will continue to make the strategic investments required to further develop these sectors.”
Honourable Gerry Byrne
Minister of Fisheries and Land Resources

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Learn more
The Way Forward on Aquaculture - gov.nl.ca/aquaculturesummit/pdf/Sector-Workplan-Online.pdf

The Way Forward on Agriculture - gov.nl.ca/agriculturesummit/workplan.html

Provincial Fisheries Advisory Council Holds Productive First Meeting - gov.nl.ca/releases/2017/ffa/0803n07.aspx

Agriculture Industry Supported by Increased Access to Crown Land - gov.nl.ca/releases/2017/exec/0216n01.aspx

New Canadian Agricultural Partnership to Help Position Canada as a Leader in the Global Economy - gov.nl.ca/releases/2017/ffa/0721f01.aspx

Provincial Government Taking Action to Increase Access to Hunting - gov.nl.ca/releases/2017/ffa/1027n01.aspx

Follow us on Twitter: @GovNL and @FLR_GovNL

Media contact
Connie Boland
Fisheries and Land Resources
709-637-2923, 640-6409
connieboland@gov.nl.ca 

2017 12 29                             12:15 p.m.