The Honorable Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard and Member of Parliament Stéphane Ste-Croix for André Lamontagne, Quebec’s Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, announced nearly $3 million in funding from the QFF to fund three projects in the Gaspé Peninsula. The Government of Canada is contributing $2,066,740 to these projects, while the Government of Quebec is contributing $885,745.
A large portion of this amount will go to ACPG Innovation, a non-profit organization affiliated with the Association des Capitaines Propriétaires de la Gaspésie. The contribution will enable fleets in Quebec’s maritime regions to acquire innovative equipment and adapt their boats for the redfish fishery.
Funding will also be allocated to Atkins et Frères Inc. to help the company market a new product, fish sausage, and Lelièvre, Lelièvre et Lemoignan Ltd. to improve its lobster tanks.
Launched in 2019, the QFF supports innovation-driven projects in the areas of commercial fisheries, aquaculture, seafood harvesting and processing, and science partnerships. The funding announced today will help create opportunities and enhance the market value of high-quality, sustainable fish and seafood in Quebec.
“Our support for Gaspésie fish harvesters and the fish industry in Quebec is essential to ensure its competitiveness and sustainability. The funding announced today will enable our fish harvesters to adapt to many of the challenges of an ever-changing market and to equip them with the tools they need to resume the redfish fishery. Today, we are taking an important step towards a sustainable and prosperous fishery for Quebec’s maritime communities through significant investments for our fish harvesters,” said the Honorable Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans, and the Canadian Coast Guard.
Quick Facts
- To date, 179 projects have received a total of $29.5 million from the Quebec Fisheries Fund.
- The ACPG Innovation project is the first major redfish project following DFO’s announcement in January 2024 of the resumption of the redfish fishery.
