Madam Chair, I again want to thank my parliamentary secretary for posing this question. It certainly touches on the importance of industry meeting new and emerging standards and requirements. Pursuing eco-certification is an industry decision, but the work of my department plays an important role in facilitating this process through science and management information.
Last September, the Gulf of St. Lawrence northern shrimp fishery was the first Canadian fishery to attain certification with the Marine Stewardship Council for being a sustainable and well-managed wild capture fishery.
It is a testament to Canada's leadership and sustainability that it is the largest shrimp fishery in the world. Three-quarters of this fishery has received certification, and the remainder is in the final stages of assessment.
The certification of this fishery is the result of a three-year effort of harvesters, processors and provincial partners, as well as DFO, to work towards an environmentally and economically sustainable northern shrimp fishery in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
Joint efforts such as those are essential to managing our waters and our resources in a sustainable manner. It gives me great pride to say that we will continue to work in collaboration with other fisheries to support them in gaining their eco-certification.