Small craft harbours are vital infrastructure for coastal and rural communities, supporting fishing and transportation, while supporting the local economies built around them. Canada’s commercial fisheries, aquaculture, and seafood processing sectors support nearly 65,000 jobs — including more than 42,900 commercial fish harvesters — from coast to coast to coast. In 2025, Canada’s fish and seafood exports totaled $8.47 billion.
Small craft harbours are vital infrastructure for coastal and rural communities, supporting fishing and transportation, while supporting the local economies built around them. Canada's commercial fisheries, aquaculture, and seafood processing sectors support nearly 65,000 jobs — including more than 42,900 commercial fish harvesters — from coast to coast to coast. In 2025, Canada’s fish and seafood exports totaled $8.47 billion.
Small craft harbours are vital infrastructure for coastal and rural communities, supporting fishing and transportation, while support the local economies built around them. Canada's commercial fisheries, aquaculture, and seafood processing sectors support nearly 65,000 jobs — including more than 42,900 commercial fish harvesters — from coast to coast to coast. In 2025, Canada’s fish and seafood exports totaled $8.47 billion dollars.
After attending the Seafood Expo Global in Barcelona, Spain, the Honourable Joanne Thompson, Minister of Fisheries, continued to promote Canadian industry and advance conservation goals in Brussels, Belgium.
Canada remains committed to strengthening and promoting Canadian fish and seafood abroad while pursuing new opportunities and expanding markets to support the growth and diversification of Canada’s fish and seafood sector.
Accurate reporting of fish catch is a vital part of ensuring sustainable stock management and supporting conservation measures. It also impacts food safety and Canada’s ability to meet its treaty and international obligations. Under Canada’s Fisheries Act, it is illegal for any person to make a false or misleading statement, either orally or in writing, to a Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) fishery officer. Failing to abide by the rules can lead to serious consequences.
Today, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) released the What We Heard document summarizing the results of the 2025 Food Fishery survey. Launched by the Honourable Joanne Thompson, Minister of Fisheries in fall 2025, the survey drew the highest level of participation ever recorded for a DFO survey. More than 9,500 surveys and over 100 written submissions were received.
Today, the Honourable Joanne Thompson, Minister of Fisheries, announced a next step in strengthening the long-term conservation and rebuilding of wild Pacific salmon with the expansion of mass marking of all DFO hatchery-origin Chinook salmon in southern British Columbia.
Wild Pacific salmon are central to the cultural, social, and economic fabric of British Columbia and Yukon. They are a lifeforce for ecosystems, a foundation for coastal and inland communities, and a species of deep significance to Indigenous Peoples.
On Saturday, March 28, the Government of Canada and the Qikiqtani Inuit Association celebrated the establishment of the Qikiqtait and Sarvarjuaq Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in Nunavut, bringing Canada one step closer to protecting 30 per cent of the ocean by 2030. Partners also marked the recent signing of an Inuit Impact and Benefit Agreement covering these marine areas as well as terrestrial areas in the Belcher Islands, which are soon to be designated as Inuit Protected and Conserved Areas by the Qikiqtani Inuit Association.
