Canada has a new Fisheries and Oceans Minister

The new Prime Minister of Canada, Mark Carney, has sworn in Newfoundland and Labrador politician Joanne Thompson as Canada's new Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard.

"I am honoured to be entrusted with the role of Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard in a critical time for trade and our economy," Thompson said in a LinkedIn post. "Newfoundlanders and Labradorians are known for their strong voice on the fisheries, and I look forward to continuing in that tradition."

"With Mark Carney, we are taking action and staying Canada strong by securing new trading partners and building one Canadian economy," Thompson added in a separate statement.

"As Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, I commit to listening, learning and working for you from coast to coast to coast," she said.

Thompson was previously Minister for Seniors within former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's cabinet, and has a background in nursing. She was first elected in 2021 as the Member of Parliament for St. John’s East, a constituency within St John's, capital of the Atlantic Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Thompson has served on various parliamentary committes and groups, including the Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development and the Standing Committee on Finance.

The new Minister takes over from Dianne Lebouthillier, who served as Canada's Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard from 2023 to 2025.

Thompson takes over responsibility for fisheries and oceans at a particularly complex moment for Canada's seafood industry, with the US having begun a damaging trade war with its northern neighbour, in addition to ongoing internal debates and tensions within Canada over the future of salmon farming in British Columbia.

Industry representatives recently warned that U.S. tariffs could mean a drop in demand for B.C. salmon of up to 40%. Meanwhile, other Canadian seafood-producing provinces have announced initiatives to "diversify markets" in response to the U.S. tariffs threat.