June 15, 2010

 

 

The Ministry of Fisheries and Oceans on Sunday (Jun 13) opened new departmental science research facilities at the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Centre, in Newfoundland and Labrador.

 

Scientists in Canada are conducting research in areas such as fisheries population ecology, habitat research, and aquaculture. These facilities will create new opportunities and creative partnerships with educational institutions and industry both domestically and internationally.

 

The new research facilities are part of a series of projects that, when complete, will amount to a CAD23 million (US$22.3 million) investment in fisheries science at the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Centre since 2006.

 

Through Canada's Economic Action Plan, the government made a commitment to provide CAD250 million (US$242.2 million) over the next two years to modernise federal laboratories. This funding, one of many job-creating investments under the plan, is intended to modernise these facilities and stimulate regional economies.

 

"These facilities will benefit all Canadians as the research conducted here will contribute to sound policy and programme decisions to ensure sustainable fisheries, healthy oceans, and conservation of Canada's diverse aquatic species and habitats," Minister Gail Shea said.

 

Improvements to the research facilities include an extension and substantial renovations to the existing building. They also include upgrading of the saltwater supply system that supports the department's science aquarium facility, improved fume hood capacity and an upgraded necropsy laboratory, as well as construction of a new chemical and biological storage facility and oceanographic and hydroacoustic workshops.