Tignish, Prince Edward Island – The Honourable Gail Shea, Minister of National Revenue, on behalf of the Honourable Keith Ashfield, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Gateway, attended the official opening of the new location of the Catch Certification Program Operations Centre (CCPOC) in Tignish, Prince Edward Island.
“Establishing the office in PEI has created new jobs for Islanders and maintained the service excellence expected by our clients” said Minister Shea. “Not only does this new office benefit the community of Tignish, but it also benefits fish harvesters by ensuring the long-term economic prosperity of their industry.”
New market demands for information about fish and seafood products are driven by increasing consumer awareness of the origin and safety of food products, as well as international efforts to promote legal and sustainable fishing practices.
The Catch Certification Office, which became fully operational on June 13, 2011, responds to export market requirements for tracking and traceability of fish and seafood products. This includes including new European Union regulations that require all fish and seafood imports to be certified as not coming from Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fisheries.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada is a leader among international fisheries regulators in the development of systems for tracing fish and seafood products and continues to work on sustainability and increasing market access.
For Broadcast: The Honourable Gail Shea, Minister of National Revenue, on behalf of the Honourable Keith Ashfield, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Gateway, attended the official opening of the new location of the Catch Certification Program Operations Centre (CCPOC) in Tignish, Prince Edward Island. Establishing the office in PEI has created new jobs and will benefit fish harvesters by ensuring the long-term economic prosperity of their industry.
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For more information:
Frank Stanek
Media Relations
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Ottawa, Ontario
613-990-7537
Barbara Mottram
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
613-992-3474
NR-HQ-11-16E
