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NEWS RELEASE (CNS724) -->> FISHERIES--RE-OPENING AND QUOTA
INCREASES GOOD NEWS
FISHERIES--RE-OPENING AND QUOTA INCREASES GOOD NEWS
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The recommended re-opening of a limited commercial cod fishery,
and quota increases for groundfish could translate into some
600-700 jobs for Nova Scotians and boost landed fish values by
more than $10 million, Nova Scotia Fisheries Minister Jim
Barkhouse said today.
The latest report by the Fisheries Resource Conservation Council
(FRCC) is good news for Nova Scotia, said Mr. Barkhouse. "It's
definitely a bright spot on the horizon for our fishers and plant
workers particularly in southwest Nova Scotia, western Cape
Breton and the northern mainland."
If FRCC recommendations are accepted by federal Fisheries and
Oceans Minister Fred Mifflin, Nova Scotia would receive a portion
of a 6000 tonne quota of cod in the southern Gulf of St.
Lawrence.
The council also recommends increases to quotas for cod and
haddock off southwest Nova Scotia and for pollock along the
entire Scotian Shelf. "This would represent a combined increase
of 7,200 tonnes for a total quota allocation of 34,700 tonnes for
these three species," he said.
The minister said that the FRCC is calling for slight quota
reductions for flatfish species but he added that the latest
council advice overall bodes well for the future of the fishery
in Nova Scotia.
Mr. Barkhouse said Nova Scotians have worked hard to adjust to
groundfish closures and severe cutbacks. "We have carried a share
of the pain. We have had to find innovative solutions to keep our
fishery buoyant such as importing foreign groundfish to keep
plants operating and developing new commercial fisheries for
non-traditional species. The hard work is paying off."
Despite declines in groundfish landings, Nova Scotia remains the
top fishing province in Canada with landed values approaching
$500 million in 1995. Processing and packaging boosts fish values
to close to $1 billion.
Conservation has been the key to reversing the downward trend in
groundfish stocks and it must remain the primary focus of fishery
management, said Mr. Barkhouse.
He said that the cod fishery along the eastern shore of the
mainland and Cape Breton remain closed except for by-catch.
"While this is unfortunate for the communities in the region, we
have to maintain a strong commitment to conservation," he said.
Mr. Barkhouse praised the work of the FRCC. "They have not had an
easy task in achieving a balance between scientific and industry
considerations. They have not faltered from their mandate that
conservation must come first and this has been key to the gains
that have been made to date," he said.
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Contact: Clarrie McKinnon 902-424-0349
Diane Kenny 902-424-0308
trp Oct. 29, 1996 - 4:32 p.m.
