Minister Shea Meets with Gaspé Peninsula Fishing Industry

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

The president and the director of the RPPSG were invited to present initiatives funded under the Atlantic Lobster Sustainability Measures program with the objective of reducing lobster fishing capacity. They 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. As a result of these measures, fishers' catches have practically doubled 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 electronic logbook implementation and the lobster traceability initiative. "These initiatives are an excellent example of the efforts being made by the industry to adapt to new market conditions."

The Minister also offered congratulations to the RPPSG for its pilot project in the commercial scallop fishery for tourism purposes in the Gaspé Peninsula, which was approved this year. 

Patrick Vincent
Fisheries Management