Sustainable aquaculture is a cornerstone of Canada’s fish and seafood sector, playing an important role in the country’s food security and helping drive economic growth, particularly in rural, coastal, and Indigenous communities.
Canada’s fish and seafood harvesters are the driving economic force behind many coastal and rural communities. Hardship and uncertainty are felt across the economy due to COVID-19, but our fisheries have faced unique challenges that require direct solutions.
Canada’s three oceans are an integral part of our national identity. They provide beauty and enjoyment to our citizens, serve as a refuge and ecosystem to millions of life forms and support a thriving ocean economy accounting for approximately $31.65 billion annually in GDP. From Pacific reefs that are over 9,000 years old, to important feeding grounds for fish stocks in the Atlantic, to critical habitats for beluga whales in the Arctic, Canada is taking action to protect our oceans and the life they sustain. The Government of Canada recognizes that, as our economy starts to open up, it will be more important than ever to chart a course to grow Canada’s Blue Economy
The Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, the Honourable Bernadette Jordan, and the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food of Quebec, André Lamontagne, are proud to announce joint financial assistance to two groups in the crab fishing industry. The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food made the announcement in Sept-Îles, during his tour of the North Shore region.
Today, during the Protecting the Oceans Most Important Places webinar, the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, the Honourable Bernadette Jordan, announced Canada has joined the United Kingdom and other countries in the Global Ocean Alliance. The Alliance’s goal is to advocate with international partners for ambitious ocean action to protect at least 30 per cent of the world’s oceans through the establishment of marine protected areas and other effective area-based marine conservation measures by 2030.
The Government of Canada is working hard to protect our oceans and the marine life they sustain. We have been clear that our target is to protect 25% of our oceans by 2025, working toward 30% by 2030. As we work to increase marine protections from coast to coast to coast, we are also working to rid our oceans of harmful waste.
Canada’s marine ecosystems are vital to the livelihoods, well being and culture of countless Indigenous and coastal communities. Scientific research and data is critical to conserving and protecting these ecosystems. The Government Of Canada is proud to work together with non-government organizations and communities to collect the crucial data that informs how we manage and protect these ecosystems.
In recognition of Indigenous History Month, the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans, and the Canadian Coast Guard, the Honourable Bernadette Jordan, reminds us of the hard the work being implemented under the Indigenous Habitat Participation Program. This $50 million, five-year initiative (2019-2023) provides Indigenous organizations with funding to support collaboration, planning, conservation, protection, monitoring and data collection as it relates to fish and fish habitat
Chinook salmon populations have been in decline for years as a result of a number of factors including habitat destruction, harvest, and the effects of climate change. The challenges facing at-risk Fraser River Chinook salmon stocks are multi-faceted. The road to recovery requires a long-term view and the collaboration of all interested parties.
Canada’s fish and seafood sector is essential to our collective food security and our economy. In light of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Canadians and businesses, the need to promote Canadian food products at home and abroad has never been greater.