Fisheries Ministers Look to Lobster Industry for Input

Fisheries ministers from the Maritime provinces emerged from a meeting in Charlottetown today, Jan. 16, with an agreement to hold formal discussions with industry as the next step in their efforts to address challenges faced by the region's lobster fishery.

"I am very pleased with the commitment and co-operation shown by everyone involved in addressing the issues facing the fisheries," said Ron Chisholm, Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture for Nova Scotia. "We will keep working with the fishing and seafood processing sectors to devise strategies to ensure prosperous and sustainable fisheries in the region."

The Charlottetown meeting followed a December meeting held in Halifax with Gail Shea, Minster of Fisheries and Oceans Canada. The Maritime fisheries ministers said their federal counterparts will play a role in whatever actions are agreed upon to help the lobster industry. They also said they hope investments for resource sectors, including the fishery, will be part of the federal budget to be tabled this month.

Neil LeClair, who was appointed Minister of Fisheries, Aquaculture and Rural Development for Prince Edward Island earlier this week, is encouraged by the commitment of the regional ministers to work together.

"We recognize that there are instances where joining forces to market and promote the high-quality seafood this region of the country has to offer the world makes sense," said Mr. LeClair. "The present challenges in the lobster industry serve as an example of where we need to work together to identify opportunities."

The meeting with lobster industry leaders from Atlantic Canada is tentatively scheduled for February.

"We will sit down with industry in the near future and discuss the necessary actions as we work collaboratively to develop a regional plan that offers long-term marketing and promotional strategies," said Rick Doucet, Minister of Fisheries for New Brunswick. "It is essential that industry from across the region sit at the table with us and bring forward its ideas."