Government of Canada invests in research to help protect Atlantic fisheries and ecosystems

Ontario: Protecting our aquatic species and oceans is critical to growing a blue economy for future generations. That is why the Government of Canada is investing in research to better protect and understand Canadian fish stocks and their habitats.

Today, the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, the Honourable Bernadette Jordan, announced more than $700,000 dollars in funding for oil spill and fisheries science research. This funding supports two projects, ranging from two to five years, that work toward better detecting and responding to oil spills and improving how we manage our fisheries sustainably. Dalhousie University received $112,500 over two years to develop two different types of underwater vehicles with special sensors designed to identify oil and oil by-products in water, after a marine oil spill and during response efforts. This project is funded under the Oceans Protection Plan’s Multi-Partner Research Initiative, which aims to ensure we have access to the best scientific information and methods available to respond to oil spills in Canadian waters.

The University also received $594,550 over five years to develop a new method to estimate the population size of Atlantic halibut based on their DNA to help understand how the species can be managed in a sustainable way. Results from this study can help to inform the application of this new approach to other fisheries.

The data collected from the projects announced today will help us to support and protect our oceans and better manage our fisheries for the benefit of Canadians that rely on them.