In a graduation event the Honourable Gail Shea, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, congratulated the 30 new Fishery Officers at the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Training Academy. Shea told that Fishery Officers are not only protectors of our marine resources, but also ambassadors for Fisheries and Oceans Canada as the front line employees in the coastal communities we serve.
She further said that the officers have worked extremely hard to complete this challenging training program. Fishery Officers are responsible for the enforcement of the Fisheries Act, the Species at Risk Act and the Coastal Fisheries Protection Act, as well as many other acts and regulations relating to fisheries on Canadian Waters, in the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) regulatory area, and off Canada’s Pacific, eastern and northern shores.
Minister Shea said that the government is committed to the protection of fish and fish habitat, both within our waters and beyond. Fishery Officers play a vital role in our conservation efforts and our work to build strong and sustainable fisheries for this generation and the next.
Besides protection Fishery Officer also promotes compliance and conservation, stewardship and sustainability of fisheries. Fishery Officers also play a key role working with the public to increase awareness about these issues through activities that include presentations to school children and public interest groups about DFO activities and goals.
