The operation of the Department is governed by the following Acts:

  Fisheries Act  (Schedule C of the Executive Council) 
  

• Provides for Ministerial authority to collect and effectively utilize information from fishing enterprises and businesses.
    

• Conduct fish product inspections,
    
• Regulate buying, processing and licensing activities,
    
• Market fish products,
    
• Set and enforce quality standards for the marketing of fish and fish products.
    

• Impose a licensing and enforcement regime based on developmental and commercial aquaculture,
    
• Confer property rights on a lessee to an area of sea bottom and water column,
    
• Protect fish health and the environment,
    
• Set aquaculture equipment,
     
• Establish access and egress by the public around or through aquaculture sites,
    
• And resolve conflicts between resource users.

Other less direct legislation relating to the Department’s activities includes:

  Fisheries Loan Act
  

• This legislation has been retained to bring closure or settlement to past accounts and activities of the former Fisheries Loan Board.
    
• The Act set out administrative guidelines for:
    

  -	The payment of bounties on the construction of fishing vessels,
  -	The financing of fishing vessels to qualifying fish harvesters, and
  -	The construction and equipment standards of vessels receiving assistance.

• This legislation allowed for the establishment of the  Professional Fish Harvesters Certification Board (which operates at arms-length from government).
    
• The Board’s main responsibilities include: 
     

  -	The promotion of the interests of fish harvesters as a professional group;
  -	Defining the standards for professionalization;
  -	Advising governments on fisheries policies;
  -	Maintaining a fish harvester registration system;
  -	Issuing certificates of accreditation;
  -	Developing and enforcing a Code of Ethics; and
  -	Providing an appeals procedure.

• This Act ratified and confirmed an agreement of September 1983, between the Governments of Canada and Newfoundland and Labrador, concerning restructuring of the Newfoundland and Labrador fishery.
     

• Allows for the formation of Fishery Products International Limited.
     

• The Fishing Industry Collective Bargaining Act outlines the legistation governing collective bargaining between harvesters and processors.