The Canadian government and the Province of Nova Scotia (NS) have announced funding support to the Maritime Fishermen’s Union Inc.’s (MFU) Nova Scotia members through the Atlantic Fisheries Fund (AFF).
The funding will help the lobster fishery in the Southeastern Northumberland Strait, Eastern Cape Breton and Southwest Nova Scotia to improve the quality of lobster being marketed, the efficiency of fishing activities, and the safety of crew.
‘We are pleased to be able to offer this funding help to our members. We will work diligently with the funders and our membership to ensure that every NS member has access to the funds in order to improve lobster quality,’ said Steve Craig, Nova Scotia’s Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture.
Live-well systems, which measure water quality, will be installed or upgraded on vessels. MFU members will be in a position to deliver a better and more consistent quality lobster product from the ocean to consumers. The funding will also provide crew members with canopy extensions to create more shade, lobster sorting tables, and automatic lobster banders.
The adoption of new and upgraded technologies by the MFU members, will benefit local and regional economies in NS now and in the future. The contribution comes from the $400 million Atlantic Fisheries Fund, jointly funded by the federal and provincial governments, and focuses on increasing opportunities and market value for sustainably sourced, high-quality fish and seafood products from Atlantic Canada.
The Atlantic Fisheries Fund is in its fifth year and will continue to invest in projects over the seven-year life of the program. The commercial fisheries and aquaculture industry, Indigenous groups, academia, industry associations and organisations, including research institutions, may apply.
‘Nova Scotia has built a global reputation for top quality seafood – not by luck, but through the hard work of many in the sector, beginning with fish harvesters,’ said Maritime Fishermen’s Union Inc’s Nove Scotia VP Gordon Beaton.
‘By focusing on maintaining the quality of the products that come from our waters, the Maritime Fishermen’s Union is also helping maintain that global reputation, which opens new doors for Nova Scotia companies every day.
Nova Scotia Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture Steve Craig, Gordon Beaton, Nova Scotia Vice President of the Maritime Fishermen’s Union Inc. and Sean Fraser, Minister of Refugees, Citizenship and Immigration and Member of Parliament for Central Nova
