According to the information the Marine Institute’s Centre for Aquaculture and Seafood Development (CAS-D) has announced to receive $42,690 to assist with the installation and testing of an onboard mechanical sorting system for use in the whelk fishery. It is said that the funding is provided through the Fisheries Technology and New Opportunities Program, which is part of the Fishing Industry Renewal Strategy.
The Honourable Tom Hedderson, Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, said that the development of new technology is extremely important to the further growth of our whelk fishery. It is observed that the sorting system developed through this project will remove undersized landed whelk and improve the survival rate for whelk that are returned to the sea.
Heather Manuel, Director of CAS-D, is of view that over the past three years, the CAS-D has worked with the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, the Canadian Centre for Fisheries Innovation and participants in the whelk fishery to address this problem. He told that the main aim of this project is to improve the functionality and effectiveness of the whelk size sorter machine and to make the information available to harvesters prior to the start of the 2010 fishery.
The whelk fishery is growing, with approximately 65 licensed whelk harvesters participating in the fishery in Newfoundland and Labrador. Minister Hedderson informed that it is essential that we support the operational efficiency and sustainability of this emerging sector.
