Sustainable Fisheries and Oceans Policy

Overview

The Sustainable Fisheries and Oceans Policy Division is dedicated to promoting the sustainable management of the fish stocks adjacent to the province, as well the sustainable use of our marine environment. We support and review scientific research that helps advance our understanding of fish stocks and the marine environment. We work closely with the Federal Government and stakeholders to increase collaboration and information sharing, develop partnerships, and promote ocean education.  We are engaged at a regional, national, and international level to provide analysis and provincial input into fisheries management and policies, and integrated coastal and ocean management initiatives.

In order to promote effective management of our ocean, we actively engage with many government departments, industry groups, non-government organizations, academia, and communities, to advance key issues. Some initiatives we participate in include scientific assessment processes, advisory committees, technical working groups, ocean governance committees, information sharing networks,  international delegations, and many stakeholder-led initiatives to promote sustainable utilization of our fisheries resources and integrated management of our coasts and ocean.

Canada’s fisheries resources are managed by the federal government through Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), while fish stocks on the Grand Banks that straddle the 200 mile limit are managed by the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO).

For more information on the work of DFO and NAFO visit:

Fisheries Research Grant Program

The division is responsible for the delivery of the department’s Fisheries Research Grant Program, which provides funding towards research initiatives that enhance our understanding of the province’s fish stocks.

In 2006, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador announced a research grant program for cod recovery initiatives known as the Cod Recovery Program. The Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture administered the program. In 2011, the program expanded to include research on other commercially harvested species and was renamed the Fisheries Research Grant Program. The objective of the program is to enhance understanding of key adjacent fish stocks as well as the Province’s role in contributing to sustainable fisheries management.

The program provides grants towards collaborative research initiatives on valuable species such as cod, snow crab, and Atlantic halibut. Proponents that include fishing industry groups, academia, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and non-government organizations carry out these research initiatives. Since 2016, the budget for this program has remained at $100,000.

Coastal and Ocean Policy

The coastal and ocean environment is deeply linked to our province’s culture, heritage, history, recreational enjoyment and economic prosperity. Activities along our coasts must be managed effectively to ensure healthy and productive coastal ecosystems and a strong economy.

Coastal and Ocean Policy

Quotas

Information on quotas for commercial fish species harvested in Newfoundland and Labrador can be found on the DFO website:

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