| Develop a strategic plan to renew the fisheries industry. |
Review fisheries and aquaculture governance and service delivery.
Build a common vision and strategy for industry development. |
Ongoing:
A new partnership with the federal government on fisheries management:
- Pacific Council of Fisheries and Aquaculture Ministers launched in December 2003 with clear indication of renewed federal commitment to working with B.C. to resolve fisheries-related issues.
- Federal-Provincial Task Group on Post Treaty Fisheries launched to define a new vision for integrated fisheries management.
- Various strategies employed to achieve greater influence over fisheries management, regulation of aquaculture and fish habitat protection.
Developing a policy framework for fisheries and aquaculture in the 21st century:
- B.C. Seafood Sector and Tidal Water Recreational Fishing Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats (SWOT) analysis completed and presented to industry as a critical step in developing new policy.
- Background work completed regarding scope of new legislation and key statutory tools.
- Regulatory burden analysis completed for shellfish aquaculture sector as basis for policy and regulatory reform strategy.
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| Examine the potential for growth of the aquaculture sector in a manner that minimizes environmental impacts. |
Expand salmon aquaculture in an environmentally sustainable way.
Waste and escape management.
Fish health, farm siting, closed containment and other green technologies.
Streamline compliance and enforcement for aquaculture.
Build and maintain co-operative partnerships. |
Significant Progress — More Work Required:
Relocation of poorly sited finfish farms.
Monitoring shows dramatic reduction in fish escapes following new performance escape regulations implemented in 2002.
Inspections of all active finfish farms and routine monitoring of shellfish sites builds on compliance and enforcement agreement ratified between the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries and the Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection in 2002.
Routine monitoring of fish health on farms on an industry-wide basis continued under the Audit and Surveillance Program, and sea lice monitoring has been strengthened. |
| Review regulated marketing in the agriculture sector and make recommendations. |
Provide a policy framework for marketing boards to improve market responsiveness, encourage specialty products and further processing in B.C. over a three-year period. |
Achieved:
Former B.C. Marketing Board and Farm Practices Board were merged into the British Columbia Farm Industry Review Board.
A merit-based recruitment process to appoint all commodity board chairs through order in council.
The Mushroom Marketing Commission is being wound up.
Industry needs assessment initiated for mushroom, vegetable, hog and cranberry sectors.
Boards that deal with products where the supply is managed are continuing to review their policies and programs with respect to specialty markets. |
| Participate actively in supporting the success of the Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management. |
Develop and implement shellfish development plans.
Establish a process related to aquaculture siting, resource planning and economic development.
Resolve interagency conflicts over access to land to manage and harvest crops, and access to water for drainage and irrigation. |
Ongoing:
Active participant in broader government initiatives to promote successful development and implementation of resource management policies including Oceans MOU, Living Rivers Strategy, Endangered Species/Species At Risk Act, Land Use Plans, Working Forest Initiative, implementation of sustainability principles.
Agriculture Crown Access Strategy completed in co-operation with the Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management.
Continued development of the Extensive Agriculture Program, which will allow farmers to access Crown lands suitable for agricultural development.
Agricultural capability and suitability assessments conducted in strategic areas to identify Crown lands best suited for agricultural production. |
| With the Minister of State for Intergovernmental Relations, negotiate to increase provincial influence and represent provincial interests in federal fisheries management decision-making processes. |
Work with the federal government on strategies to renew fisheries and expand aquaculture.
Represent and incorporate provincial interests in federal fisheries and aquaculture management decision-making processes. |
Ongoing:
Created Pacific Council of Fisheries and Aquaculture Ministers as a forum for bilateral discussions around fisheries and aquaculture.
Included joint management in a corporate strategy aimed at more effective engagement with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans.
Concluded strategic joint initiatives to demonstrate to Canada the benefit of working jointly with the province on fisheries matters:
- Federal-Provincial Task Group on Post-Treaty Fisheries.
- Groundfish trawl management review.
- Favourable hake sharing arrangement with the U.S.
- B.C. appointment to Pacific Salmon Commission.
- Reciprocal Tuna Access Agreement with U.S.
- B.C. interests addressed via ongoing involvement in the Inshore Rockfish Conservation Initiative and dispute resolution processes.
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