The federal government is making changes to the Fisheries Act.
The amendments would restore lost protections and incorporate modern safeguards for fish stocks.
Fisheries Minister Dominic LeBlanc was in Vancouver to make the announcement, and says the government will invest $284 million in these measures.
LeBlanc says they are restoring protections that were lost in 2012 when the Harper government made changes to the act.
“This legislation also adds important new safeguards for our fisheries, including measures to rebuild damaged fish stocks and restore degraded habitat. This legislation will restore lost protections, so that all fish and fish habitat are protected, and incorporate new, modern safeguards into this protected law.”
LeBlanc says the changes will help ensure that the economic benefits of fishing remain with the licence holders and their community by providing clear ability to enshrine current inshore fisheries policies into regulations.
He says they will also strengthen the role of Indigenous peoples in project reviews, monitoring and policy development.
A promise made, a promise kept. Our government just introduced new protections for fish and their habitat.https://t.co/k6XBEw8MVc
— Dominic LeBlanc (@DLeBlancNB) February 6, 2018
