Minister Supports Canso Fishery

Fisheries and Aquaculture Minister Keith Colwell said today he will continue to work for the people of Canso to help them restore their fishery.

"A quota is gold and you need quota," Mr. Colwell told dozens of Canso residents who met with him during the minister's conference at the Agri-TECH Park in Truro.

The residents, many of whom are fish plant workers, told Mr. Colwell they need the Department of Fisheries and Oceans to give them quota so that fish can be harvested and processed in their town.

Mr. Colwell pledged to continue making Canso's concerns a priority with his cabinet colleagues.

Also at the conference fishermen agreed to form a minister's council to regularly pinpoint and unite on issues most important to the Nova Scotia fishery.

More than 60 leaders of commercial fishery organizations, representing thousands of fishermen, unanimously agreed that focusing on resolving one industry issue at a time would be effective.

"It's a natural next step for fishery organizations and the province to take together. When I'm dealing with Ottawa, they are going to know we are united and that is going to carry a lot of weight," said Mr. Colwell.

Mr. Colwell also promised to take a united voice to a meeting of his fellow fisheries ministers next month in Quebec City.