The P.E.I. Fishermen’s Association (PEIFA) says a federal bill will ensure that fishing licences are owned and operated by independent fish harvesters.
The PEIFA said it supports the inclusion of the preservation or promotion of the independence of licence holders in commercial inshore fisheries contained in Bill C-68 that passed first reading in the House of Commons on Tuesday (Feb. 6).
The PEIFA has been a supporter of owner-operator and fleet separation policies and will continue to support these policies becoming entrenched in federal legislation.
Over the past four years, numerous fishing groups in Atlantic Canada have met with federal Fisheries Minister Dominic LeBlanc and Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) staff regarding the importance of these policies to coastal fisheries and their surrounding communities.
The organization also supports the funding that will be provided to ensure additional resources are available for conservation and protection of fishing resources.
The PEIFA will continue to work diligently with the minister and all federal departments associated with this legislation to ensure that appropriate language is crafted to enshrine these policies into the Fisheries Act of Canada.
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