Vancouver, British Columbia – The Honourable Joyce Murray, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, will be joined by the Honourable Josie Osborne, BC Minister of Land, Water, and Resource Stewardship, and Minister responsible for Fisheries, as well as by Fin Donnelly, Parliamentary Secretary for Fisheries and Aquaculture for the Government of British Columbia, to make an announcement regarding the launch of the second phase of the British Columbia Salmon Restoration and Innovation Fund.
Today’s environmental challenges mean that innovation and science are critical elements in helping to rebuild a healthy ocean ecosystem. Maintaining a sustainable and economically strong fish and seafood sector is a priority for both the Government of Canada and the Province of British Columbia.
Watching whales and other marine mammals in their natural surroundings gives Canadians an opportunity to better appreciate these beautiful animals, but when humans get too close, we risk disturbing and even harming them. Canada has laws in place to ensure that marine mammals can be enjoyed at a safe distance.
Atlantic herring plays a vital role in Atlantic Canada’s economy and ecosystem. The southern Gulf of St. Lawrence fall herring stock in particular provides employment for more than a thousand people in rural New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Quebec.
Oceans are vital to the livelihoods of communities across Canada. The Government of Canada has made tremendous strides in protecting our oceans by working in collaboration with Indigenous partners, provinces, territories, industry and other marine stakeholders. Since 2015, Canada has progressed from less than one percent to over 14 percent protection of its marine and coastal areas.
Iqaluit, Nunavut – The Honourable Joyce Murray, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, will be joined by the Spence Bay Hunters and Trappers Association and the Nunavut Minister of the Environment, The Honourable David Akeeagok, for an announcement about a new marine stewardship initiative.
The Arctic Ocean provides critical resources for northern communities across Canada. It is a key transportation corridor for community resupply, provides food resources, and is a part of northern cultural identity. Ensuring these waters are safe is crucial. This is why the Government of Canada is making significant investments to improve marine safety across Canada’s North under the next phase of the Oceans Protection Plan.
In order to advance innovation and support the ecological sustainability of the aquaculture sector in British Columbia, Fisheries and Oceans Canada is taking the next step to transition from open-net pen aquaculture in British Columbia coastal waters.
The Atlantic Ocean is one of the most productive marine environments in the world. It is home to an abundance of marine life and supports coastal livelihoods through industries like fishing, aquaculture and tourism. The Atlantic Ocean is treasured for its biodiversity and for the key role it plays in helping mitigate the impacts of climate change. It is important that, together with likeminded countries, we continue to take concrete, coordinated and measurable actions for an Atlantic Ocean that is healthy and sustainable now and for future generations.
Oceans are vital to the livelihoods of communities across Canada. We’ve made tremendous strides in protecting our oceans by working in collaboration with Indigenous partners, provinces, territories, industry and other marine stakeholders. Since 2015, Canada has increased protection of its marine and coastal areas from less than one percent to over 14 percent.
