The Honorable Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard will travel to Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, to Co-Chair the Canadian Council of Fisheries and Aquaculture Ministers (CCFAM) meeting taking place August 14 and 15. She will be joined by her provincial Co-Chair, the Honorable Cory Deagle, Minister of Fisheries, Tourism, Sport and Culture for Prince Edward Island, as well as their provincial and territorial counterparts. Minister Lebouthillier will also meet with leaders and representatives of the National Indigenous Organizations.

During the meeting, Minister Lebouthillier and her provincial and territorial counterparts will engage a number of priorities of the Council, including discussing climate change and the future prosperity of our coastal communities. She will hear from provincial and territorial leaders on these important issues, and together, they will focus on solutions to safeguard the future of fish, fish habitat, fisheries, and aquaculture in an ever-changing environment. Minister Lebouthillier will also stress Canada’s commitment to growing trade and commercial opportunities for Canadian fish and seafood products.

“We are pleased to host our federal, provincial, and territorial counterparts here in beautiful and historic Prince Edward Island as we work together to address key industry challenges and explore innovative solutions. As co-chair, I hope that these meetings can encourage collaboration and drive progress in sustainable fisheries and aquaculture practices as we look at the impacts of climate change, market demands, and the continued need to innovate. We look forward to productive discussions and impactful outcomes,” comments the Honorable Cory Deagle, Minister of Fisheries, Tourism, Sport and Culture for Prince Edward Island.

Quick Facts

• CCFAM is the primary multilateral engagement forum between federal, provincial, and territorial governments to address fisheries and aquaculture issues of national importance. CCFAM’s primary mandate is promoting interjurisdictional cooperation in freshwater and marine fisheries and aquaculture issues of national importance and providing a forum to meet common goals. 
• Council members meet annually to discuss issues of priority to CCFAM, with a rotating provincial/territorial co-chair hosting the meeting along with the federal Minister. 
• Canada’s marine economy contributes approximately $51.8 billion annually to the country’s gross domestic product. This sector also supports nearly 427,000 jobs across diverse areas, such as fisheries and aquaculture, water transportation, ocean energy and technology, recreation, and tourism. These direct benefits play a crucial role in Canada’s communities.