L'union Des Pêcheurs Des Maritimes the Maritime Fishermen's
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L’Union des pêcheurs des Maritimes The Maritime Fishermen’s Union Tel 506.532.2485 408, rue Main St Fax 506.532.2487 Shédiac, NB [email protected] E4P 2G1 www.mfu-upm.com PRESS RELEASE For Immediate Release Federal Cabinet shuffle: The MFU welcomes the new Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson Shediac, New Brunswick, July 18, 2018 - Prime Minister Justin Trudeau today undertook a cabinet shuffle. While the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc accepts new responsibilities in intergovernmental affairs, Jonathan Wilkinson, Member of Parliament for North Vancouver, will replace him as Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard. The Maritime Fishermen's Union welcomes the arrival of the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson. "We will work closely with Minister Wilkinson as we did with Minister LeBlanc. Several complex issues await him, including: co-existence between fishermen and the Atlantic right whale and the protection of the status of the owner-operator policy. We look forward to working with Minister Wilkinson without delay, particularly to discuss the management of the various fishing plans for 2019 and beyond, which clearly disappointed us in 2018. We believe that the Department needs to work with fishers' associations and see them as partners to improve fisheries management and, by extension, the economic and social situation of coastal communities." The MFU takes this opportunity to wish Minister LeBlanc well in his new position. We would like to highlight his collaboration on his initiative to render the owner-operator policy as an article of law, allowing NB/MFU fishermen to get to a minimum lobster size of 77mm, as well as for the much needed reinvestment in the realm of fisheries, such as the Atlantic Fisheries Fund. The UPM wishes to meet Minister Wilkinson in the near future. The Maritime Fishermen's Union represents nearly 1,300 independent inshore owner-operator fishermen from New Brunswick and Nova Scotia to defend their collective well-being and communities. - 30 - For more information : Annie Chiasson Communications and Special Projects Coordinator (506) 395 – 6366 [email protected] .