Fisheries and Oceans Canada - Maritimes Region
Learn more about recent changes to the Fisheries Act!
Changes to the Fisheries Act will help:
- restore protections for fish and fish habitat
- enhance marine protection and habitat restoration
- improve management of projects
- preserve independent inshore fisheries
- strengthen Indigenous role in project reviews, monitoring and policy development

Wishing a Happy Birthday to the Gully MPA!
Did you know? Our first Marine Protected Area turned 15 this May! The Gully MPA is the largest submarine canyon off Atlantic Canada and is home to hundreds of species from tiny plankton to some of the largest whales on earth. Even after two decades of research in the Gully, many mysteries remain, making it a place of great interest for continued research, monitoring and conservation efforts. Over the last 15 years, the Gully MPA has been collaboratively managed by our Oceans Management staff and a multi-stakeholder advisory committee.

Shellfish harvesting map – Check before you harvest!
Check out the Canadian Shellfish Sanitation Program (CSSP) mapping tool to learn more about fishery openings and closures in real-time. It’s important to check the map and to read any posted signage before you harvest. If you have any questions, please contact your local Conservation and Protection detachment.

Atlantic Fisheries Fund
On March 10th, we announced this $325-million investment in the fish and seafood sector. The program aims to help Atlantic Canada's seafood sector transition to meet growing market demands for high-quality and sustainably-sourced products and we have been working closely with our provincial partners to negotiate the program details. As a result, the Atlantic Fisheries Fund is now open for business with all Atlantic Provinces officially signed on.

Be whale wise!
Help us protect the whales by keeping a safe distance this summer! Whale watching is an exciting boating activity enjoyed by many. With this excitement, comes responsibility - when we get too close, approach too fast, or make too much noise, we can disrupt their activities, cause them unnecessary stress, and put their lives in danger.

In the News
- Canada Tackles Plastic Pollution and Ghost Fishing Gear in Oceans
August 28, 2019 - Minister Wilkinson and MP Fraser in Tangier for discussions about conservation on the Eastern Shore
August 23, 2019 - The Government of Canada Invests in the Fishing Harbour of North Head in New Brunswick
August 8, 2019 - North Head, New Brunswick - Government of Canada and Province of Nova Scotia invest in projects for new technology and trade in the fish and seafood sector
August 7, 2019 - Lunenburg, Nova Scotia - Government of Canada supports important Spill research at Dalhousie University
May 31, 2019 - Halifax, Nova Scotia
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- Date modified:
- 2019-08-28