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Released: 22 September, 1999
Atlantic Council Of Fisheries Ministers EndorseNew Strategic Direction
Atlantic
Council of Fisheries Minister's Meeting
Québec, Quebec - September 22, 1999
QUEBEC CITY, Quebec,
September 22, 1999 -- The Atlantic Council of Fisheries Ministers (ACFM),
composed of Ministers responsible for Fisheries and Aquaculture for Atlantic
Canada, Quebec, Nunavut and the federal government, met today in Quebec City.
The meeting was co-chaired by Rémy Trudel, Quebec Minister of Agriculture,
Fisheries and Food, and Herb Dhaliwal, Federal Minister of Fisheries and Oceans.
"We are pleased with the
discussions we had today in the federal minister's presence," said Mr.
Trudel on behalf of his counterparts from Nunavut and the Atlantic provinces.
"It is important that this Council serve as an effective vehicle to share
our opinions and co-ordinate our actions in areas of common interest for the
development of our respective maritime communities."
"I am very pleased to have
had this opportunity to meet with my counterparts from Atlantic Canada for the
first time in the context of the ACFM," said Mr. Dhaliwal. "I am
committed to working very closely with my provincial and territorial colleagues
to improve the effectiveness and strength of our working relationships."
At today's meeting, Ministers
agreed on terms of reference aimed at increasing the Council's effectiveness in
dealing with issues related to Atlantic Fisheries and Aquaculture and the
development of these industries in coastal communities. The terms of reference
reflect the principles of the Agreement on Interjurisdictional Cooperation,
which strives to improve cooperation and collaboration between governments on
the main issues facing the fisheries and aquaculture sectors.
The Supreme Court decision on the
Marshall case was prominent in the Ministers' discussions today. There was clear
recognition from all jurisdictions on the need to clarify the implications of
the Court's decision and to put in place a management regime that ensures
conservation objectives are not compromised and is fair to other interests in
the fisheries.
"My objective is to follow
the direction of the court in a manner that will ensure conservation, and is
fair to the interest of all," said Minister Dhaliwal. "It is in no
one's immediate or long-term interest to act in a manner that jeopardizes the
resource, or erodes future opportunities."
Minister Dhaliwal reassured his
colleagues that this situation has his full attention and that he has instructed
his officials to meet over the next few days with aboriginal communities and
other affected parties.
Minister Dhaliwal noted that
development of a full response will require the participation of a number of
federal colleagues as well as provinces. He indicated that he would be seeking
full cooperation with his colleagues to ensure a coordinated and comprehensive
response is adopted. All Ministers joined Minister Dhaliwal in his appeal for
patience, restraint and goodwill during this period of some uncertainty and
agreed to work cooperatively on this important issue.
Minister Dhaliwal provided his
counterparts with an update on the status of the Atlantic Fisheries Policy
Review (AFPR) led by the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans. The AFPR is
intended to develop a comprehensive and cohesive policy framework for the
management of Canada's East Coast fish stocks. Some Ministers raised concerns
over the existing policy regarding resource allocation based on decisions that
have been taken previously by DFO on some East Coast resources. Ministers agreed
that resource allocation principles will be an important aspect of the AFPR, and
as such, consultations will continue with stakeholders and ACFM members.
Recognizing the significance of the review currently underway, Ministers agreed
on the importance of ensuring input from sector stakeholders, provincial
governments and the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board throughout the process.
Minister Dhaliwal also presented
to the Council an overview of the Atlantic Groundfish Licence Retirement
Program. To date, a total of 1,642 licences have been removed, at a total cost
of $143.1 million. Minister Dhaliwal reiterated that the Program will not affect
permanent fleet shares for allocation purposes. Any decisions required
subsequent to the Program's conclusion would be preceded by appropriate
consultations with provinces, Nunavut and stakeholders.
Ministers discussed the work of
the Federal-Provincial Atlantic Fisheries Working Group on historical shares of
shellfish. Minister Dhaliwal informed the Council that provincial shares
developed through this process would be used as an indicator to monitor relative
provincial shares in the future, especially in the context of capacity
management initiatives. On the question of provincial shares, no consensus was
reached but New Brunswick and Quebec had strong positions.
The Council discussed a number of
other topics, including the work under way to evaluate the status of seal
stocks, the regulatory review and the implications of the U.S. Marine Mammal
Protection Act. It was noted that the Federal government is committed to seek
appropriate amendments to this Act.
Some Ministers impressed upon the
federal Minister the need for additional financial resources to be made
available for fishery enforcement and research.
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