The $100 million program to rebuild west coast salmon habitat announced June 19, 1998 was part of a $400 million comprehensive program to rebuild the resource, restructure the fishery, and help people and communities adjust to the changing fishery. That same day the government announced $730 million for restructuring and adjustment measures for the Atlantic groundfish fishery.
While the west and east coast initiatives are both aimed at ensuring stable sustainable fisheries, they have been individually tailored due to the differences in the nature of the fisheries issues on each coast. On the west coast the major commercial fishery, salmon, is particularly dependent on healthy and productive fish habitat in freshwater streams which are more susceptible to the impacts of human development. For this reason a large portion of the west coast program is devoted to habitat conservation and enhancement. On the east coast, production for habitat is not a key limiting factor with respect to groundfish fisheries. As a result the adjustment measures are focused on reducing industry capacity trough licences retirement; adjusment measures to help current and former TAGS, The Atlantic Groundfish Strategy, recipients become self-employed, get work experience, develop new skills or relocate; extra help for community and regional economic development, to be provided to Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency for co-operative initiatives with provinces and other partners; and a cost shared early retirement program.
On July 17, 1998, the government announced $1.16 million in funding to support volunteer groups in their efforts to improve and restore local waterways. The funding is to be provided under the Canada-Nova Scotia co-operation agreement on economic diversification.