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News
Release
June 21.2006
Conservatives Enhance B.C. Fish Conservation
 OTTAWA
– This week the Conservative government in Ottawa announced that the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) will be
enhancing its conservation and protection presence in British
Columbia.
“Canada’s new
government will ensure rigorous enforcement of federal fishing
regulations on the Fraser River to protect wild fish stocks,” says
Fisheries Minister Loyola Hearn. “While the previous Liberal
government threatened to cut the enforcement presence on the west
coast, we are actually increasing the number of officers patrolling
British Columbia’s waterways.”
The Conservative
government has committed $2.4 million to increase the number of
enforcement officers in B.C. from the current 162 to a total of 176.
“The
decision to increase our compliance and monitoring capability in the
Pacific Region will strengthen the Federal Government’s protection
and conservation efforts,” says local MP James Moore. “This
will benefit everyone who depends in some way upon west coast
fisheries.”
The enhanced
capacity will help DFO’s conservation efforts on the Fraser River
and in coastal areas through increased monitoring and surveillance
activities and more proactive and collaborative strategies. The
additional Fishery Officers will be located in areas where
compliance is a priority.
In addition to
this investment, the Department will also add 12 new Habitat
Monitors as part of the Pacific Region’s ongoing plan to modernize
its Habitat Program.
Bill Otway,
President of the Sportfishing Defence Alliance welcomed the
announcement, saying in a news release “We are particularly pleased
that this government has not only kept their promise to review the
Liberal proposal to cut staff in B.C. but have rejected that
proposal and moved forward with much needed additions.”
Otway also noted,
“We are also pleased with the action by the Minister to add 12 new
Habitat Monitors to the Pacific Region Habitat Program.”
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