Minister Shea Highlights the Positive Impact of a Federal Program for Gaspesie Fishermen

QUÉBEC CITY, QUEBEC--(Marketwired - Sept. 29, 2014) -

Editors Note: There is a photo associated with this Press Release.

The Honourable Gail Shea, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, recently met with representatives of the Regroupement des pêcheurs professionnels du sud de la Gaspésie (RPPSG) to hear about their various initiatives, achievements and projects.

As part of their fisheries restructuring and modernization efforts, the RPPSG received funding under the Atlantic Lobster Sustainability Measures program. This $50 million program announced in 2009 aimed at providing support for harvester groups to develop and implement sustainability plans that respond to the unique needs of their area.

The RPPSG presented its initiatives to reduce the lobster fishing capacity, and explained that reducing the number of licences and imposing management measures such as a reduction in the number of traps and an increase in the minimum lobster size have led to a 30% decrease in fishing effort. These measures have helped fishers to practically double their catches in the last few years.

"I am very happy to say that our Atlantic Lobster Sustainability Measures program is showing concrete results for fishers," said the Minister, who also took part in discussions on the progress of the electronic logbook implementation and lobster traceability. "These initiatives are an excellent example of the efforts being made by the industry to adapt to new market conditions," she added.

The Minister also congratulated the group for its pilot-project of commercial scallop fishing for tourism purposes on the Gaspé Peninsula, authorized for the first time this year.

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