Minister Shea at the Quebec Fish Processors Association's AGM

The Quebec Fish Processors Association (AQIP) held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Québec on January 30, 2014. The Honourable Gail Shea, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, took the opportunity to reiterate the government’s support for the fishing and seafood industry.

According to Minister Shea, the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement recently signed by Canada and the European Union (EU) could provide many opportunities for the fishing industry. The EU is the largest importer of fish and seafood products in the world and high-quality fish and seafood products are abundant in the Estuary and Gulf of St. Lawrence. From 2010 to 2012, exports of the product to the EU alone were worth $13.7 million per year.

“The Canada-EU Trade Agreement is our most ambitious trade agreement yet. It’s good news for Quebec, where the fish and seafood industry provides jobs to more than 7900 Quebecers. Our trade agreement will open the world’s largest common market to Canadian exporters. This will allow Quebec processors to sell more of their goods. Higher sales will lead to more jobs, higher wages and greater long-term prosperity, which directly benefits hard-working Quebecers,” said the Minister.

“Our government is proud to support Quebec's fisheries in many other ways such as our investments in small craft harbours and our support for fisheries eco-certification projects in Quebec,” added the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans.

Pascale Fortin
Communications