The Atlantic Canada Fish Farmers Association is embarking on a new project that will help improve the sustainability of the fish and seafood sector.
A joint contribution of $460,000 from both the federal and provincial governments will go towards the purchase, installation, and collection of data from two real-time monitoring buoys that are equipped with a suite of sensors.
Federal Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Jonathan Wilkinson made the announcement at the Saint Andrews Biological Station.
“This data will be collected from the Passamaquoddy Bay and will provide real-time information that will be used to support decision-making for both the aquaculture industry, as well as other marine users, such as fishers and tourism operators.”
The buoys will gather data on meteorological and ocean conditions related to wind speed and direction, wave height, atmospheric pressure, air and water temperature, and solidity concentrations.
Energy and Resource Development Minister Rick Doucet says the investment in the real-time buoys in the Bay of Fundy is an important part of their commitment to the long-term sustainability of the seafood and aquaculture industries.
“The success of this sector is the direct result of the hard work and innovative people and companies behind it.”
Doucet says demand for New Brunswick seafood is currently at an all-time high, and they are continuing to work with aquaculture and fisheries sectors to generate jobs and contribute to the economy.”
(Picture – from left: Federal Fisheries and Oceans Minister Jonathan Wilkinson, South-west MP Karen Ludwig, Energy and Resource Development Minister Rick Doucet, Fundy-Royal MP Alaina Lockhart)