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OTTAWA – The Honourable Geoff Regan, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, today released the 2003 statistics on Canadian fisheries. With wild harvest and aquaculture production totalling over $2.9 billion, 2003 was a banner year for the fishing industry, showing a slight increase over 2002.
The largest portion of the total came from the commercial marine fishery at $2.26 billion while the aquaculture industry contributed $586 million and the freshwater commercial fishery, $83 million.
"The fishery in Canada has proven once again to be a thriving and, in fact, growing industry," said Minister Regan. "One of Canada’s historical and primary industries had its best year ever and continues to stimulate the economy in hundreds of our coastal communities and provide employment for thousands of Canadians."
The fishing industry last year provided jobs for an estimated 60,300 fishers and full-time equivalent employment to 29,909 Canadians in the processing sector. In addition, there are 7,200 jobs in the aquaculture industry, with an additional 7,200 jobs in support industries. In Canada’s commercial fishing fleets, there were estimated to be 22,853 registered vessels in 2003.
Canada continued to play a strong role as the fifth largest exporter of fish and seafood products in the world. In 2003, Canada’s exports of fish and seafood products totalled $4.5 billion, with exports to over 100 countries.
Canada maintained its position as the number one supplier of fish and seafood imports to the United States in 2003 at a value of $3 billion. Lobster, snow crab and shrimp were the top three species exported to the United States. In addition, Canada experienced significant growth of fish and seafood to other world markets, with an increase of 23% to $446 million to the European Union and a 21% increase to $324 million to China and Hong Kong.
On the Pacific coast, most fisheries are stable and promise good economic returns. The salmon fishery, after a decade of steady decline in values and abundance, is an obvious concern.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada is undertaking a number of initiatives to address this challenge including a soon to be released Wild Salmon Policy for the West Coast. In Atlantic Canada, snow crab is expected to decline and it is hoped that the rebuilding of the cod fishery will continue.
"The Canadian fishery fluctuates periodically and it remains a challenge to balance conservation with economic development. Federal, provincial and territorial governments will continue to cooperate to protect the environment while at the same time working with the fishing industry and other stakeholders to enable those whose livelihoods depend on a strong fishery," said Minister Regan.
DFO’s statistics highlight the landed volumes and values of Canada’s groundfish, pelagics and other finfish, shellfish, and freshwater fisheries, as well as the production and value of the aquaculture industry. Highlights indicate that:
- Total value of the catch of in Canada’s marine and freshwater commercial fisheries in 2003 showed an slight increase of 5.2% to $2,348,137 from 2,231,099 in 2002.
- Landings increased slightly from 1,087,485 tonnes in 2002 to 1,129,338 in 2003.
- Production revenues from the aquaculture industry were down 6.8% to $586 million from $628 million in 2002 due to lower production and reduced exports of farmed salmon.
- In 2003, Canada’s top two fish and seafood exports, in terms of value, were lobster and crab, while shrimp and farmed Atlantic salmon and shrimp ranked third and fourth respectively.
For more information on the state of Canada’s fishery in 2003, visit Fisheries and Oceans’ Canada Statistical Services web site at:
http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/communic/statistics/main_e.htm. Statistical Services is responsible for the national statistics system of the Department.
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FOR MORE INFORMATION:
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Christiane Parcigneau
Media Relations
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Ottawa
(613) 998-1530
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Brian Underhill
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Ottawa
(613) 992-3474 |
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