Good morning. Let me start by thanking Minister Colwell for inviting me back to his annual fisheries conference.
Our two governments share a strong interest in supporting and strengthening the Atlantic fishing industry and I think this kind of forum is important as it allows us to exchange ideas. It also gives us a great chance to review what both our governments are doing, and hear from those of you who make your livings from the sea.
I would like to start this speech with a number: 4,930,352,507.
This represents the value of Canadian fish and seafood exports all around the world in 2014. Compared to the previous year, it means an 11.9% growth.
That is impressive. You can be proud of that, because that’s the result of your hard work.
I firmly believe that we have an ever brighter future ahead of us. One of our Government’s proudest accomplishments over the past two years has been the finalization of important trade deals with South Korea and the European Union.
On the first day of the Canada-EU agreement coming into force, your industry will see the elimination of 96 percent of tariffs on fish and seafood. Nova Scotia and the Port of Halifax, Canada’s gateway to Europe, are well positioned to benefit from increased export opportunities to the EU’s 500 million consumers and their $17 trillion annual economic activity.
Similarly, the Canada-Korea Free Trade Agreement, which entered into force at the beginning of this year, will create important new opportunities for your industry. Korea is the world’s 15th-largest economy and the fourth-largest in Asia.
The trade agreement with South Korea is a landmark agreement that represents Canada’s first free trade agreement in the Asia-Pacific region and provides new access for your industry. It is projected to boost Canada’s economy by $1.7 billion and increase Canadian exports to South Korea by 32 percent.
Under the Canada-Korea Free Trade Agreement, all South Korean tariffs on fish and seafood products will be eliminated. You may have seen in the media recently that a cargo flight takes an average of 40,000 kilograms of live lobster from Halifax to Seoul every week.
Lobster is one of the products benefiting from immediate tariff elimination. And in 2014, lobster represented more than half of our exports to South Korea. The agreement with Korea is already showing results for our lobster industry –Canada’s most lucrative fishery, with exports expected to generate $1 billion a year.
Statistics for 2014 also showed a 14.7% growth of Canadian fish and seafood to China. While this is very impressive, I cannot say that I was surprised to hear that. I traveled to China this past summer, and I heard the same message from the many players in the industry: the only issue they have in China with Canadian fish and seafood is that they never have enough of it!
Talking to people on the wharves, at the market and at embassies, they all shared the same view of our products: world-class quality and safety. One thing I also heard, though, is that with this reputation comes the importance of identifying our products as being Canadian.
I live in Tignish, Prince Edward Island. We of course think that our products are unique; just as you do about your own catches. But the fact is when we’re competing on the world stage, trying to reach out to a Chinese chef at a market in Shanghai, there is no way we can work in silos.
As much as we love our provinces and our communities, there is no way Tignish, Grand Manan, Malpeque, Fogo Island or Yarmouth can build brands that are powerful enough. We need to work together. There is a need for a strong Canadian branding. I know that discussions are going on at various levels, and that’s a message I wanted to share with you.
The strength of fishermen working together is not only something that can help build a world-renowned Canadian brand for our seafood in international markets, but can also help my Department and provincial governments here at home.
Established fishermen’s groups allow people in the industry to speak with greater power to Departments like mine, not just on marketing, but on safety, management and the future of the fishery.
These are both exciting and challenging times in our fisheries. We are seeing record landings in lobster in many areas and growth in some important groundfish stocks. However, we are also seeing reductions in stocks such as mackerel and increasing challenges with bycatch in some areas.
Let me turn now to a problem a large portion of our fishery here in Eastern Canada is facing – grey seals and the threat they pose to the resurgence of cod stocks.
My Department has been studying the relationship between grey seals and cod extensively for many years in order to better understand these interactions in relation to the management of the ecosystems in which they live.
Science advice points to the same thing that fishermen have said for many years – the growing grey seal population in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence is having a negative effect on the recovery of cod stocks in that region.
That’s a legitimate concern, given that an individual grey seal eats between 1 and 2 tonnes of fish every year and there are more than 100 thousand living in the southern Gulf. That’s a huge increase since the 1960s.
Managing the seal population in the Southern Gulf of St. Lawrence is a complicated and challenging issue, which requires significant consideration by governments and industry.
We will continue to work with our partners to identify a responsible, efficient and cost-effect way to manage this ecological challenge.
Historically, cod was an economic mainstay in our region. That’s why my Department has taken a number of important actions to support the recovery of cod stocks in Eastern Canada, such as gear modifications to limit the bycatch of cod in other fisheries, maximum incidental catch limits, as well as the closure of some fishing areas when cod are spawning or where juvenile fish are known to be found.
Before closing, I would like to share my view on an issue that was raised in the news earlier this week about our aquaculture regulations.
Our Government firmly believes that aquaculture can create much needed jobs in coastal, rural and Aboriginal communities. It is a growing industry that represents billions in economic activity and thousands of jobs for Canadian families.
However, let me be clear. We want this industry to grow in a manner that does not compromise our pristine marine environment, or traditional fisheries. This is the key to responsible aquaculture development.
I wish to clarify the nature of the proposed Aquaculture Activities Regulations. I must emphasize, the proposed changes aim at providing more clarity for operators to ensure greater compliance and transparency by imposing three new conditions:
1) Aquaculture operators would have to provide written reports of alternatives to pesticide and drug use that were considered before using any of these regulated products.
2) They would have to have mitigation measures in place to minimize potential negative impacts on wild fish species and their habitat.
3) They would have to report these activities to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans on a yearly basis. The Department will then make the overall data publicly available annually.
For the first time ever, the federal government will regulate not only the farm operations itself, but also the effect is has on the ocean bottom. Aquaculture operators would continue to use only stringently evaluated products authorized by Health Canada’s Pesticide Management Regulatory Agency. Any suggestions otherwise are completely false.
Additionally, these changes have been supported by the renewal of the Sustainable Aquaculture Program that represents a $54 million investment in science, improved public reporting and regulatory work.
Our science investments will directly address the question of wild-farmed interactions which have been raised here in Nova Scotia, as well as elsewhere.
As always, the Government of Canada invited Canadians to comment on the proposed regulations in order to ensure that all opinions were heard and considered. Consultations across the country were also held.
We are firmly committed to maintaining this ongoing dialogue and remain open to constructive comments.
Canada already has one of the most rigorous aquaculture regulatory systems in the world and our Government is committed to continuing to improve it, in the name of the 14,000 Canadians already employed by this industry as well as all those who will be in the future.
On that note, I would like to congratulate your government for establishing the Doelle-Lahey Panel which will lead the development of a roadmap for sustainable aquaculture development in your province.
In closing, let me reassure you that I am open to solutions driven by fishermen that strengthen the economic competitiveness of this important pillar of our coastal economy. I look forward to continuing to work closely with you to ensure that the fishing industry has a bright and prosperous future.
We will certainly have the opportunity to meet again in the near future, maybe in Boston mid-March, or at some of the upcoming announcements for our region’s small craft harbours.
You might remember that last year our Government added an additional $40 million over two years into this program. That’s a big number that seems unreal but concretely, it meant investments in our harbours all across Nova Scotia: Saulnierville, Eastern Passage, Cheticamp, Wedgeport, Lower East Pubnico, just to name a few.
In November, our Prime Minister announced an additional $288 million to accelerate repair and maintenance work at small craft harbours across Canada, in order to provide fishermen on Canada’s waterways and coasts with safe and accessible facilities.
I look forward to contacting or even visiting you to share exciting news on how and where this important funding will be invested.
Thank you and please enjoy the conference.
