Fishing boats tied up at Havre-St-Pierre, Quebec, Canada.
The Government of Canada and the Government of Quebec, through the Quebec Fisheries Fund (QFF), have funded with $3 million three projects in the Gaspé Peninsula to support an innovative fishing industry.
It is planned that part of these funds will go to the non-profit organization affiliated with the Association of Captain-Owners of Gaspésie, ACPG Innovation, so that Quebec's maritime fleets can acquire innovative equipment and adapt their vessels for the redfish fishery.
Regarding this initiative, the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, Diane Lebouthillier said: "Today, we are taking an important step towards a sustainable and prosperous fishery for Quebec's maritime communities through significant investments for our fish harvesters."
Additionally, Stéphane Sainte-Croix, a member of the National Assembly of Quebec for Gaspé: "I am proud that this initiative meets the expectations of harvesters. Innovative projects, such as those of Atkins et Frères Inc. and Lelièvre, Lelièvre et Lemoignan Ltd., demonstrate the potential of our region to position itself as a leader in the maritime sector."
In more detail, the Government of Canada is contributing $2,066,740 to these projects, while the Government of Quebec is contributing $885,745.
Since 2019, the QFF has been encouraging the use of new technologies in the fishing, aquaculture, seafood harvesting, and processing sectors, as well as scientific partnerships, to support the sustainable development of the industry.
More than $650,000 in funding has been distributed for eight projects in the Gaspé region and on the North Shore. Moreover, last summer, the development of the Newport Harbour Phase 2 construction was confirmed.
In January 2024, Fisheries and Oceans Canada announced that the commercial Redfish fishery in the Gulf of St. Lawrence (Unit 1) located in Atlantic Canada and Quebec will reopen, following several consultations.
This commercial fishery was closed in 1995 to "help redfish stocks rebuild to healthy levels." Before 1995, a commercial fishery existed since 1953, harvested by different fleets, gear classes, and vessel classes.
Finally, the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, and Minister responsible for the Centre-du-Québec Region, André Lamontagne, reminded how these funds will also help in the recovery of this particular fishery: "This resumption offers business opportunities to be seized, and this is especially the case in the context of the recovery of international markets. I am pleased with this financial support, which will allow our fish harvesters and processors, thanks to their unique know-how and capacity for innovation, to benefit from the resource."
