Agriculture and Forestry Minister Eric Hammill today expressed major concerns over the number of recent fishkills in Prince Edward Island streams, and said action is being taken to help prevent similar incidences.
"This is a very significant problem and we are taking it very, very seriously," said Mr. Hammill. "I want to make it perfectly clear that this is totally unacceptable, and government and industry are taking steps to address the problem."
The minister said government and industry have been working closely together to protect Island watercourses. He said measures such as the establishment of the new Agriculture and Environmental Conservation program, the Environmental Farm Plan program, and the hiring of an Integrated Pest Management specialist to work with the industry in support of its goal to reduce pesticide use, along with a greater recognition among producers of the importance of soil conservation, are all steps in the right direction. "The implementation of the new buffer zone legislation in the next crop year will also result in better protection to fish and wildlife habit," he said, while acknowledging that more must be done now to deal with problem.
Mr. Hammill said that during a meeting with Technology and Environment Minister Mitch Murphy this week, Ministers directed that an action plan be developed involving both levels of government and the industry. He said further details will be announced in the near future.