November 17, 2017
Province Announces Independence for Manitoba Commercial Fishers Coming Soon
– – –The Fisheries Amendment Act has been Passed: Squires
The Manitoba government has passed legislation required to lift the monopoly of the Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation (FFMC), clearing the way for commercial fishers to market their own catch starting Dec. 1, Sustainable Development Minister Rochelle Squires announced today.
“Our government promised fishers a new flexible fish marketing system and now any person who meets the requirements can obtain a fish dealer or fish-processing facility licence,” Squires said. “Our commercial fishers are an important part of Manitoba’s economy. Fishers will now be able to greatly enhance their earning potential by marketing the fish they catch across the country or around the world.”
A fish dealer licence will authorize a person to purchase fish from a commercial fisher and allow them to process and sell fish both inside and outside Manitoba. The operator of a custom fish-processing facility will require a fish-processing facility licence, and commercial fishers will continue to have the right to process and sell fish caught under the authority of their commercial fishing licence. Fishers will now be able to explore new markets and take control of their own income and enterprise, but they also have the option to continue selling their fish to the FFMC.
New reporting requirements for fish dealers and fish-processing facility licence holders are included in a new regulation. These requirements will help ensure the sustainable management of fish stocks and reduce the black market trade in fish products.
More detailed information, including the new regulation, application forms for fish dealer and fish-processing facility licences and acceptable reporting formats, is available on the department website at www.gov.mb.ca/sd.
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