Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture Greg Deighan expressed concern today about the impact a moratorium on the cod fishery will have on individuals and communities in Prince Edward Island.
Speaking in the Provincial Legislature, Minister Deighan said it was anticipated that the federal minister would accept the recommendation of the Fisheries Resource Conservation Council of a 50 per cent reduction in quota, so he was disappointed with today's announcement of a complete closure in the fishery.
"There are no longer a large number of Island fishers who rely on cod for their livelihood; however, for those individuals and families who do, the moratorium will be sorely felt," said Minister Deighan. "We also have to remember that the cod fishery provides an important source of supplementary income for close to 400 core fishers in PEI, as well as additional employment hours for those in the processing sector. So the impacts will be felt by many Islanders."
Minister Deighan said he looks forward to hearing more about the programs the federal government will put in place to assist those individuals and communities most affected by the cod closure.
"It is critical that those who rely on this fishery have the support they need to make the transition to another fishery or another occupation. As these programs evolve, the Province will work closely with the federal government to ensure that the interests of Island fishers and Island communities are heard," said Minister Deighan.
In 2001, cod landings in Prince Edward Island totalled 1.7 million pounds. The landed value to PEI fishers was $1.0 million, with the total value to the provincial economy in the range of $2 million. In addition, the cod fishery is an essential element of the charter boat fishery which is a key component of the tourism industry in Prince Edward Island. There are more than 30 charter boats that participate in the recreational cod fishery in the summer. These operations contribute approximately $2.5 million to the Island economy. Minister Deighan said the closure of the cod fishery is a significant blow to that industry.
"The charter boat fishery is not the same as the individual recreational fisher, and we asked the federal minister to take this into consideration. I'm disappointed that some leeway was not given to allow these operations to continue."
Minister Deighan said he is pleased to see the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans accept the recommendation of the Fisheries Resource Conservation Council that the seal population be addressed. The FRCC identified the problem of grey seal predation on cod as the single most important reason for lack of recovery of the southern Gulf cod stock.
"We are certainly hearing that concern from PEI fishers. Something must be done about seals if we are going to successfully rebuild cod stocks. So I'm happy to see DFO is not only investing additional research dollars to look at the impact of seals on cod stocks, but also taking action through the creation of seal exclusion zones," said Minister Deighan.
"Despite all of the conservation efforts of the last 10 years, DFO science is telling us that this once lucrative fishery is not recovering and our fishers are once again faced with a moratorium. Obviously we need to take another approach, and I am hopeful that these and other measures announced today will finally put us on the right track."
Minister Deighan added that he has expressed the concerns of Island cod fishers to the federal minister and will continue to work with federal officials in an effort to minimize the impact of the cod closure on Island fishers and PEI communities.