Keith Sullivan was appointed executive director of the Newfoundland and Labrador Aquaculture Industry Association in January 2025.
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The Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador has appointed Keith Sullivan as Deputy Minister of its Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, placing a long-standing industry figure at the helm of the province’s senior fisheries administration.
The appointment was announced by Premier Tony Wakeham this week, after the provincial government established a standalone Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, separating it from other resource portfolios.
According to the government, the move aims to give "greater focus" to a sector that remains a major employer and economic driver in many coastal communities in the Canadian province.
Sullivan brings broad experience of Newfoundland and Labrador's seafood industry, having worked in various regional and national fisheries and aquaculture organisations over the course of his career. Just over a year ago, he was appointed executive director of the Newfoundland and Labrador Aquaculture Industry Association, the body representing companies involved in farmed seafood production.
He previously served as president of the Fish, Food and Allied Workers Union, which represents fish harvesters and plant workers in the province. Sullivan was also vice-chair of the Canadian Independent Fish Harvesters Federation, a national organisation representing owner-operator harvesters, along with board roles in industry and research organisations linked to lobster, groundfish and marine innovation.
The newly-appointed deputy minister holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology from St Francis Xavier University and a postgraduate diploma in sustainable aquaculture from the Fisheries and Marine Institute of Memorial University.
“From his days growing up on the Southern Shore, to representing fish harvesters and plant workers with the FFAW, to his most recent role as Executive Director of the Aquaculture Industry Association, Keith Sullivan has dedicated his career to Newfoundland and Labrador’s fishery," Wakeham said in an official statement.
"He understands the industry, cares deeply about the people who depend on it, and champions the communities it supports. Having him as a key part of our team reflects our government’s strong commitment to backing both the fishing and aquaculture sectors,” Wakeham added.