OTTAWA, ON: The Fisheries Council of Canada (FCC) and the Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance (CAIA) are pleased to support the new Ocean Action Agenda released by the High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy (Ocean Panel). Their mission of building a sustainable ocean economy balancing effective protection, sustainable production and equitable prosperity is in alignment with the goals of the Canadian fish and seafood industry and our own Blue Economy Strategy 2040.

The Ocean Panel, composed of 14 serving world leaders, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, has put forward a new ocean action agenda underpinned by sustainably managing 100 per cent of national waters. This agenda is built upon knowledge and science, transformative recommendations, and action. Similarly, FCC and CAIA, the national associations representing the wild-capture and farmed seafood industries respectively, recently released Canada’s Blue Economy Strategy 2040, a vision and action plan to position Canada as a global top three producer of the best, most sustainable fish and seafood by 2040. The plan intends to capture the opportunity presented by Canada’s Blue Economy Strategy mandate and offers guidance on achieving sustainable, ocean-led economic growth.

“The Ocean Panel’s new Ocean Action Agenda positions the ocean as an essential part of solving global challenges. The Canadian fish and seafood industry shares that belief,” said Paul Lansbergen, President, FCC. “Our Blue Economy Strategy 2040 puts a plan on paper for Canada to follow to be a part of that worldwide movement.”

CAIA President & CEO, Tim Kennedy, is a member of the Advisory Network to the Ocean Panel. “Being involved with the High Level Panel’s Advisory Network has impressed me with their deep research agenda and concrete recommendations. Canada can and should be playing a leading global role to realize the opportunity of the Blue Economy,” said Kennedy. “Seafood – both farmed and wild – will play a central and increasingly important role in realizing human and planetary health. Our world and Canada will benefit greatly with acting on these recommendations.”

The Ocean Action Agenda and Canada’s Blue Economy Strategy 2040 demonstrate that we don’t have to choose between ocean protection and production. We can have both. Research shows that a healthier ocean is a smart investment that will deliver social, health, economic and environmental benefits.

The Ocean Action Agenda is built upon five transformation areas, with ocean wealth at the top of the list: ocean-based industries can outperform the growth of the global economy. The Canadian fish and seafood industry is ready to help Canada capture that potential.

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The Fisheries Council of Canada (FCC) is the voice of Canada’s wild capture fish and seafood industry, promoting a healthy resource and prosperous industry playing a vital role in the Canadian economy. Our members include small, medium and larger-sized companies along with Indigenous enterprises that harvest and process fish from Canada's three oceans.

Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance (CAIA) is the national association that speaks for Canada’s seafood farmers, representing their interests in Ottawa and internationally. CAIA members generate over $6 billion in economic activity, $2.45 billion in GDP, and employ over 25,000 Canadians delivering a healthy, growing and sustainable seafood farming sector in Canada.

For more information or to set up an interview please contact:

Kelly McCarthy, Manager, Communications, FCC: kmccarthy@fisheriescouncil.org

Sheri Beaulieu, Marketing & Communications Manager, CAIA: sheri.beaulieu@aquaculture.ca