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2006-01-13 Green Party Endorses Bold Fishery Preservation Plan
The Inshore Transition and Development Plan (ITDP) is unique in that it doesn't only rely on quotas to manage what is a very delicate resource
(Moncton, Friday, 13 January 2006) - The Green Party of Canada firmly believes in the protection and sustainability of the Maritimes inshore fishery, and therefore endorses the bold plan of the Maritimes Fishermen's Union's that will help ensure its survival, said leader Jim Harris today.
"The Inshore Transition and Development Plan (ITDP) is unique in that it doesn't only rely on quotas to manage what is a very delicate resource," said Harris. "It introduces ways to preserve the fishery, and gives employment tools to those fishers who wish to get out of the fishery. Done properly, the ITDP will be a boon to Eastern Canada's coastal communities."
In its plan, the MFU recognizes that there are too many lobster fishers to sustain the resource. This in itself is a big step ahead. But it goes further: The plan includes programs to naturally enhance and protect the region's ecosystems.
Of note, the MFU has programs in which lobster larvae are extracted and incubated for several weeks. When they are released, MFU officials have found that the survival rate is 35 percent higher. 80,000 lobsters were reintroduced last year alone.
As well, the ITDP has implemented specific steps to protect the lobster fishery, including the monitoring, preservation and research of the ecosystem in which lobster live and thrive.
Finally, the ITDP have several development projects - including research; fishing of alternate species; eco-tourism; and aquaculture - in the coastal towns that traditionally rely solely on one fishery. This diversification is paramount for the survival of these communities.
"The Inshore Transition and Development Plan is a demonstration of a protection plan hatched, if you will, at the grassroots level," Mr. Harris said. "The MFU is to be congratulated for such forward thinking."
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For More Information:
Derek Pinto, David Kay
Media Relations Officers, Leader's Tour
media@greenparty.ca
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