Provincial Government Announces Funding to Expand Aquaculture and Create Jobs

  • Fisheries and Land Resources

July 31, 2020

The Honourable Gerry Byrne, Minister of Fisheries and Land Resources, today announced a $725,000-investment to support aquaculture industry expansion to create jobs and help operators expand their product lines and markets.

Initiatives to support aquaculture industry expansion include:

  • $500,000 for the Fisheries and Aquaculture Branch of the Department of Fisheries and Land Resources to purchase a 32-foot, customized, multi-purpose seaworthy vessel enabling access to remote aquaculture sites in rough weather conditions to provide site assessment, inspections, oceanography research, laboratory and health surveillance activities, such as sample collection.
  • $200,000 for upgrades to Fisheries and Aquaculture Branch laboratory facilities in St. Alban’s to support aquatic animal health requirements for the aquaculture sector. Upgrades include:
    • Removing and disposing of current infrastructure, including second-floor water and live holding systems;
    • Establishing an area for laboratory, storage and administrative office space; and
    • Positioning an effluent discharge disinfection and neutralization system on the ground floor to meet laboratory ISO accreditation requirements.
  • $25,000 to support the Expression of Interest process to identify and select a proponent for salmon aquaculture development in the bays west of Bay d’Espoir towards Burgeo and Port aux Basques. Such development could ultimately result in a production level of 15,000-20,000 metric tonnes of salmon and 100-150 direct new jobs in the area.

This initiative is part of a plan to support renewable resource-based businesses and employment in rural communities during the COVID-19 global pandemic through investments in the forestry, agriculture, fisheries and aquaculture sectors.

Quotes
“Newfoundland and Labrador’s aquaculture sector is helping to meet a growing global demand for seafood, contributing to an ongoing effort to increase food self-sufficiency, and creating the jobs that help sustain our rural communities. As we work to become a world leader in sustainable aquaculture production, this investment will help explore new areas for development. Purchasing a vessel for site visits and upgrading laboratory facilities will also ensure our aquatic animal health professionals have access to the best resources available for strict and rigorous management of this industry, guided by the world-class standards of openness, transparency and accountability established under this administration.”
Honourable Gerry Byrne
Minister of Fisheries and Land Resources

“Seafood farming is the most environmentally friendly form of protein production on earth. The aquaculture industry in this province has proven to be a valuable and viable economic catalyst in rural coastal communities. Having more than 17,000 km of coastline, this province has enormous potential for further expansion of sustainable aquaculture that will enable more hard-working Newfoundlanders and Labradorians to produce premium seafood for tables here at home and around the world.”
Mark Lane
Executive Director, Newfoundland Aquaculture Industry Association

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Learn more
Seafood Marketing and Innovation Fund to Support Expansion and Create Jobs

Minister Byrne Announces Strategic Partnership with Seafood Industry to Investigate Export Transportation and Storage Opportunities for Newfoundland and Labrador

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Media contacts
Linda Skinner
Fisheries and Land Resources
709-637-2284, 632-8167
lindaskinner@gov.nl.ca

Mark Lane
Newfoundland Aquaculture Industry Association
709-689-8536
mark@naia.ca

2020 07 31 4:00 pm