Minister Wilkinson talks right whales, local harbours and fish habitat with PEI Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Robert Henderson

March 13, 2019                        

Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island - Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, and his PEI counterpart, Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Robert Henderson met in Prince Edward Island this week. Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the PEI department of Agriculture and Fisheries have always had a strong relationship, and this latest meeting further reinforced that.

The Ministers talked about the season opening of the crab fishery in the Southern Gulf of St. Lawrence and how this year’s measures will continue to protect North Atlantic Right Whales. Minister Wilkinson assured his counterpart the Department will work with all those involved to open the crab fishing season as soon as it is safe to do so. The Ministers also discussed renewing and maintaining local harbours. Minister Wilkinson reiterated a commitment to finding solutions through partnership to address those needs. Finally, the Ministers talked about building on existing conservation work by investing more than $50 million to enhance DFO’s national fisheries enforcement program, which will result in the hiring of more than 100 new fishery officers positions across Canada. These new positions include new fishery officers on Prince Edward Island to enforce the Fisheries Act and support the conservation of aquatic species, including North Atlantic right whales.