P.E.I. fisheries minister looking to expand program supporting new lobster fishers

P.E.I.'s fisheries minister says he'll look into expanding a provincial program that provides financial support to new lobster fishers to include more species.

The Future Fisher Program launched back in 2009. It provides mentoring and financial support for new fishers entering the Island lobster fishery to incentivize people to get into the industry.

Speaking in the legislature Thursday, Liberal MLA Robert Henderson asked why the government didn't spent the full budget for the program last year. 

"The program actually left about $50,000 unspent, leaving money there that should be encouraging young fishers to enter our fishery," Henderson said.

"Can you tell the House why there are fewer participants in this program and if there are any plans to increase interest in this program?"

Review of program underway 

Cory Deagle, minister of fisheries, tourism, sport and culture, said those funds were left over because there were fewer applicants to the program — something his department is looking into.

He said it's time to do a full review of the program to see if any adjustments can be made to increase interests from potential fishers. 

One factor limiting that interest now is how much the cost of a licence has increased since the program started, he said. 

"Now that's average, a million dollars. So it's not as enticing to new fishers to enter this program," Deagle said. 

"We're currently reviewing the program. I know the Fisherman's Association is also supportive of that and would like to see that."  

Henderson said there are a number of other fisheries on P.E.I. that are seeing growing demand, like the oyster fishery.

He asked the minister if he would consider using the leftover funding to expand the program to include oyster fishers as well. 

"We know that the average of our public oyster fishers is increasing and, given it's growth and the demand for P.E.I. oysters, it makes sense to me that we should be investing our Future Fishers Program to entice young people to enter in our oyster fishery," Henderson said. 

The fisheries minister agreed that was something worth looking into. 

"That's actually a really good idea," Deagle said. "We'll go back and look at that, we could perhaps expand the program to other sectors as well."

Deagle committed to meeting with the P.E.I. Shellfish Association to discuss how best to expand the program to that industry.