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Cod Recovery Workshop Set to Begin February 1
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans and the provincial Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture will be holding a workshop as the next step in preparation of a long term strategy for the recovery of cod stocks adjacent to Newfoundland and Labrador.
Scheduled for St. John’s February 1-2, 2005, the workshop will be chaired by Mr. Eric Dunne and will include approximately 85 participants from industry, Aboriginal groups, fishing communities, environmental groups, development associations, academia, and government. It will also involve participants from the federal-provincial cod recovery teams of Quebec and the Maritimes, to ensure coordination of all recovery strategies.
Participants will examine current stock status and barriers to recovery, biological requirements for rebuilding and recovery objectives and fisheries management measures. This Workshop is the first step in a two phase consultation process. The draft recovery strategy will form the basis for public consultations later in 2005.
A final cod recovery strategy will then be developed based on the input received through consultation with the External Advisory Committee, the Workshop, and through public consultations.
On August 20, 2003, the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Canada announced the formation of the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Action Team on Cod Recovery.
The Action Team works under the overall direction of the Deputy Minister’s Steering Committee and includes representatives from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans; Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Province of Newfoundland and Labrador; and Memorial University.
To assist the Team, an External Advisory Committee has been established with representation from the Fish, Food and Allied Workers (FFAW), fish processors, and aboriginal and community organizations.
The Action Team has developed a draft consultation paper which includes stock status overviews, rebuilding objectives/targets, and potential rebuilding and management measures. The intention is that this draft consultation paper will be revised after the workshop and made available for public input later in 2005.
For Media:
Media are advised that the workshop sessions are open to invited participants only. A panel discussion for accredited media will be held at the close of the Conference on:
Wednesday, February 2, 2004
Location: Conception Bay Room, Delta St. John’s Hotel and Conference Centre
3:30 p.m.
For further information:
Jan Woodford
Director of Communications
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
709-772-7623
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Alex Marland
Director of Communications
Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture
Province of Newfoundland and Labrador
709-729-3733
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