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Who We AreThe Department of Fisheries and Oceans in the Gulf Region 
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Fisheries & Aquaculture Management Branch
(506) 851-7721
The Fisheries & Aquaculture Management Branch is responsible for management of the resource, the enforcement of the Fisheries Act, Aboriginal fisheries and recreational fisheries in the Gulf Region. This branch also coordinates other fisheries in the Gulf of St. Lawrence with the support of the Quebec and the Newfoundland regions. The Fisheries & Aquaculture Management Branch employs approximately 200 persons. Moreover, 80 per cent of its staff members work in one of the three areas of the Gulf Region (Eastern New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island or Gulf Nova Scotia), and consequently it is the most highly decentralized branch of DFO in the Gulf Region.
The Fisheries & Aquaculture Management Branch delivers its services through five main divisions:
- Resource Management
- Conservation and Protection
- Aquaculture and Recreational Fisheries
- Aboriginal Fisheries
- Business Systems and Strategic Planning
Resource Management Division
The Resource Management Division is responsible for the development and implementation of integrated fisheries management plans for a variety of species. These plans set forth in detail principles, objectives, allocations to fishers, management actions and regulatory procedures. The division is also responsible for the inter-regional coordination of fishing areas in the Gulf of St. Lawrence that involve the three DFO regions (Gulf, Quebec and Newfoundland). Moreover, the Resource Management Division manages the Quota Monitoring Program for the Gulf Region. The division is also in charge of the Commercial Fishery Licensing Policy administration.
Conservation and Protection Division
The activities of the Conservation and Protection Division are the enforcement of legislation, policy and integrated fisheries management plans for all species of the Gulf Region, with a view to resource conservation and sustainable development.
The Conservation and Protection Division is represented in the Gulf Region by more than 120 fishery officers assigned to the task of protecting inland and coastal waters. Officers work in 14 detachment and 9 satellite offices, as well as at the Regional Office. The Division also administers a fleet of vehicles and fisheries patrol vessels, backed up, if necessary, by the Canadian Coast Guard fleet. The patrol vessels maintain surveillance in closed areas, and carry out inspections at sea to ensure compliance with all fisheries-related regulations. Aircraft are also used to monitor, locate and follow fishing fleets and spot offences. DFO also provides observers, employed on a contract basis, to work on Canadian boats. These observers gather scientific data and maintain on-site surveillance during fishing operations.
Since 2001, the C&P; Division coordinates the Dockside Monitoring Program, aiming at ensuring the exactitude of the commercial fisheries landings data. Conservation & Protection also plays a lead coordination role for the Fisheries and Aquaculture Management Branch on litigation matters.
Aquaculture and Recreational Fisheries Division
Recreational fisheries inject about $50 million annually in the Gulf Region's economy, while aquaculture landed value exceed $30 million, with significant potential for growth. The division is charged with coordinating sustainable aquaculture and recreational fisheries policies programs in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence. The three Regional Area offices maintain a lead role in delivery of much of these fisheries management programs. The provinces share an active regulatory role with the federal government, and stakeholders play an important part in program design and delivery. Among the main focuses for the Division at this time are the implementation of a new federal initiative in support of aquaculture, and overhauling regulations in support of sustainable development of both sectors.
- Access the Recreational Fisheries Web Pages of the Gulf Region
- Access the Aquaculture Web Pages of the Gulf Region
Aboriginal Fisheries Division
The Aboriginal Fisheries Division delivers DFO programs to 14 First Nations communities and 4 Aboriginal umbrella organizations in the Gulf Region. To this end, DFO and the First Nations negotiate and implement two types of agreements simultaneously:
1/ Pursuant to accords negotiated under the Aboriginal Fisheries Strategy (AFS), which take into account the Sparrow decision rendered in 1990 by the Supreme Court of Canada, the first type of agreement covers food, social and ceremonial fisheries, scientific studies on Atlantic salmon to sustain conservation and management efforts, and the Aboriginal fishery officers programs designed to ensure the protection of renewable aquatic resources.
2/ The second type of agreement, part of a longer-term process related to the Marshall decision (Supreme Court of Canada, 1999), provides additional access to commercial fishing, along with new recreational fishing and other fishery-related opportunities. The agreements also provide for major capacity building, so as to facilitate access and allow the development of related commercial opportunities in the fisheries sector.
The DFO enforcement team is made up of resource persons from the Science, Policy and Economics, Resource Management and Conservation and Protection branches who are based at the regional office in Moncton and in each of the three area offices of the Gulf Region.
Business Systems and Strategic Planning Division
The Business Systems and Strategic Planning Division is responsible for the development, coordination and implementation of strategic policies, projects, plans and initiatives for the Fisheries & Aquaculture Management Branch in the Gulf Region. This division is also responsible for information technology and management, co-management process, alternate service delivery (ASD) as well as the overall administrative, corporate and executive services for the Fisheries & Aquaculture Management Branch.
The Division is also in charge of all licensing processes including issurance of commercial, recreational, Aboriginal, scientific and Species at risk permits and licences.
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Date Published: 2001-02-09 Last Updated: 2004-12-14 |
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