Minister of Fisheries, Aquaculture and Environment Chester Gillan pressed for improved federal fisheries enforcement in Prince Edward Island during a meeting with his counterparts from across the country Thursday.
Minister Gillan was attending the Canadian Council of Fisheries and Aquaculture Ministers meeting, co-chaired by Federal Fisheries Minister Herb Dhaliwal and Ontario Natural Resources Minister John Snobelen.
Minister Gillan took the opportunity at the meeting to once again stress the importance of protection for the Prince Edward Island fishery.
"Adequate enforcement is an essential part of management of our fisheries resources, and we simply do not have an adequate level of enforcement in PEI," the Minister said. "We need more enforcement officers posted to the PEI fishery, and we need sufficient equipment for these officers to perform their job effectively."
Minister Gillan said protection is a particular concern in the lobster and oyster fisheries. He asked the Federal Minister to commit the resources necessary to better protect the future of the fishery in Prince Edward Island.
Another topic the Minister raised with his national counterparts was the vital role research plays in the fishery. Minister Gillan said the Lobster Science Centre at the Atlantic Veterinary College is an excellent example of cooperation between governments and industry.
"There is certainly room for more collaborative research work. That is particularly true in the case of the aquaculture industry, where I don't feel scientific expertise has kept pace with developments in the industry," said Minister Gillan.
Research and development in the aquaculture industry was addressed during the report of the Ministers' Aquaculture Task Group. The Task Group was directed to develop recommendations on an appropriate national structure to identify, prioritize and coordinate key research and development issues and information amongst various funding agencies in Canada.
Ministers also directed the Aquaculture Task Group to develop a strategic plan identifying common developmental targets and specific actions to be undertaken over the short and medium term. The plan will be presented for consideration in 2002.
In other progress at Thursday's meeting, Minister Gillan joined his counterparts in signing a national Code on the Introductions and Transfers of Aquactic Organisms. Several years in the making, the Code provides standardized methods for provinces to deal with intentional introductions and transfers of aquatic organisms.
Ministers directed the Task Group on Introductions and Transfers of Aquatic Organisms to review the implementation of the Code over the next 18 months and to analyze risks involved with introductions and transfers associated with the aquarium trade, live fish for food trade, and live bait.
In other items on the agenda, Ministers at the Canadian Council of Fisheries and Aquaculture Ministers meeting discussed freshwater and recreational fisheries and approved a work plan for the Council for 2001-2002 which included the establishment of a Task Group on Oceans. The Task Group was asked to establish objectives for the sustainable development of Canada's ocean resources.