Fisheries Ministers from the three Maritime provinces emerged from a meeting in Charlottetown today with an agreement that formal discussions with industry will be the next step in their efforts to address challenges facing the region’s lobster fishery.
The meeting in Prince Edward Island was a follow up to a December 2008 meeting held with federal fisheries Minister Gail Shea in Halifax. Neil LeClair, who was appointed Minister of Fisheries, Aquaculture and Rural Development for Prince Edward Island earlier this week, and who chaired the meeting, said he is encouraged by the commitment of the regional ministers and the federal government 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 LeClair. “The present challenges in the lobster industry serve as an example of where we need to work together to identify opportunities.”
As a next step, the ministers will address the ideas discussed today when they attend a meeting of lobster industry leaders from Atlantic Canada, 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 New Brunswick Fisheries Minister, Rick Doucet. “It is essential that industry from across the region sit at the table with us and bring forward its ideas.”
Ministers noted that the full participation of federal agencies will be necessary to address the immediate and long-term market challenges facing the industry. They also hope investments in the primary industries, including the fishery, will be part of the budget to be tabled later this month by the federal government.
“I am very pleased with the commitment and cooperation shown by everyone involved in addressing the issues facing the fisheries,” said Ron Chisholm, Nova Scotia Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture. “We will be working with the fishing and seafood processing sectors to devise strategies to ensure a prosperous and sustainable fishery in the region.”