NR-HQ-01-20E

Georges Farrah announces a $1.4 million Federal investment in harbour improvements in the MagDalen Islands, Quebec

March 19, 2001

CAP-AUX-MEULES – Georges Farrah, Member of Parliament for the constituency of Bonaventure — Gaspé — Îles-de-la-Madeleine — Pabok, announced today on behalf of the Honourable Herb Dhaliwal, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, that the federal government will invest $1.4 million in harbour improvements at several fishing harbours in the Magdalen Islands.

"This investment underlines the federal government’s commitment to maintain viable and safe harbours in support of the communities in the Magdalen Islands," said Mr. Farrah. "The communities and fishers will directly benefit because they will have access to safer and more efficient harbours."

Dredging work will be carried out in the fishing harbours of Millerand, Pointe-Basse, Grosse-Île and Île d’Entrée. This will give vessels adequate depth in basins and channels and provide fishers with safe navigational conditions from the start of the next fishing season. The dredging will also eliminate areas of sand build-up caused by the storm in October last year.

DFO is committed to start the work as of April 1^st, 2001, weather conditions permitting. Once the work schedule is confirmed, it will be provided to all Harbour Authorities, who will then inform the fishers of these harbours.

" It is in response to the needs expressed by the Harbour Authorities that DFO has decided to push forward the schedule for dredging work this year to help fishing operations resume as soon as possible and improve service to fishers," Mr. Farrah said.

At Grande-Entrée, the wharves in the harbour’s interior basin will be repaired so that it can be in full use for the next fishing season. The work will consist primarily of major, urgent structural repairs to the retaining systems, which are now extremely corroded, of the berthing faces of the wharves. The work is now under way and should be completed before the next fishing season begins.

All these projects are being undertaken by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Small Craft Harbours Program, in collaboration with the local Harbour Authorities which manage and operate the facilities for the benefit of local users. It is this close cooperation with clients which enables the federal government to continue to provide an operable system of harbours and facilities throughout Canada in support of commercial fisheries.