OTTAWA, Ontario – The Honourable Keith Ashfield, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, today extended his congratulations to the 2013 graduating class of fishery officers and welcomed them to the Conservation and Protection Branch of Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
The graduates have completed a 17 week classroom training program which includes a nine-week enforcement training at the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Training Academy in Regina, Saskatchewan. They will soon be making their way to Conservation and Protection field offices across Canada where they will undertake 30 months of practical training.
“On behalf of the Government of Canada, I am pleased to congratulate these 19 new conservation and protection officers as they prepare for their duties on the land, on the sea and in the air to protect Canada’s marine resources,” said Minister Ashfield.
Fishery Officers are responsible for the enforcement of the Fisheries Act, the Species at Risk Act, and the Coastal Fisheries Protection Act, as well as many other acts and regulations relating to fisheries on Canadian waters, in the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) regulatory area, and off Canada’s Pacific, eastern and northern shores.
In addition to protecting fish and fish habitat, fishery officers promote compliance and conservation, stewardship and sustainability of fisheries. They also work to increase awareness through activities that include presentations to school children and public interest groups about enforcement activities and conservation goals.
"Our Government remains focused on four priorities, as outlined by the Prime Minister, that Canadians care most about: their families, the safety of our streets and communities, their pride in being a citizen of this country, and of course, their personal financial security," concluded Minister Ashfield.
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