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Funding projects and support announced for PEI fisheries

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The Government of Canada and province of P.E.I. have announced funding to improve sustainability, health and market for fish and seafood

From left to right: Mr. Ian MacPherson, PEIFA representative; the Honourable Robert Henderson, PEI Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries; the Honourable Wade McLauchlan, PEI Premier; the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard; Mr. Bobby Jenkins, PEIFA representatives; the Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada; and the Honourable Wayne Easter, MP for Malpeque pose for a picture following the announcement.

Pooles Corner, P.E.I. – The government of Canada and the province of P.E.I. have given the Prince Edward Island Fishermen’s Association (PEIFA) a $2.4-million boost.

From left to right are: Ian MacPherson, PEIFA representative; Robert Henderson, PEI minister of Agriculture and Fisheries; Wade McLauchlan, PEI Premier; Dominic LeBlanc, minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard; Bobby Jenkins, PEIFA representative; Lawrence MacAulay, minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada; and Wayne Easter, MP for Malpeque.

The contribution is being made through the Atlantic Fisheries Fund (AFF).

In a statement, both governments say the funding is meant “to improve the effectiveness, quality and sustainability of the fish and seafood sector.

The statement says the “federal and provincial governments combined contributions to this fund will amount to over $400 million in investments across Atlantic Canada, which will help generate opportunities and increase the market value for sustainably sourced, high-quality fish and seafood products.”

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Lobster fishing

The federal government and the province adds that a $4,608,000-project with the PEIFA involves infrastructure and equipment investments to improve the effectiveness of the PEI lobster harvesting industry.

The project will help lobster harvesters install new storage and handling equipment on their vessels to keep the lobsters fresher and healthier, says the statement. This will mean a higher quality product for consumers.

The lobster harvesters will pay 50 per cent of the cost of the equipment with the AFF matching funding up to $3,000 per harvester.

More projects

Both governments say the AFF will continue to invest in projects over the next seven years, and commercial fishers and aquaculture industry, Indigenous groups, universities and academia and industry associations and organizations, including research institutions, may apply.

To be eligible, says the statement, projects must focus on:

  • Innovation – to support research and development of new innovations that contribute to sustainability of the fish and seafood sector, and to create partnerships and networks that aim to promote and encourage innovations in the sector;
  • Infrastructure – to adopt or adapt new technologies, processes, or equipment to improve the effectiveness and sustainability of the fish and seafood sector
  • Science Partnerships – fisheries and aquaculture industry based partnerships with academia and institutions to enhance knowledge and understanding of the impacts of changing oceanographic conditions and sustainable harvesting technology.

 


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