Commercial Fisheries Industry Safety Support Program

The Department of Industry, Tourism, and Investment is providing increased safety funding to commercial fishers working on the Great Slave Lake, Tathlina Lake, or Kakisa Lake.

Up to $10,000 (based on 2019 production) will be made available to individual fishers under the Commercial Fisheries Industry Safety Support Program to equip their fishing vessels with the safety equipment needed to meet both COVID-19 protection measures and Transport Canada’s Fishing Vessel Safety Regulations.

The new Transport Canada Regulations identifies the safety equipment that fishing vessels must carry based on the length of a vessel’s hull.

Eligible safety equipment can include:

· Personal life-saving appliances and visual signals;

· Life-rafts and other life-saving appliances; and

· Firefighting equipment

Additionally, the program will provide fishers up to $1,000 to purchase cleaning supplies and equipment necessary to meet COVID-19 health orders issued by the NWT Chief Medical Officer.

Quote

“The Northwest Territories’ Commercial Fishery is integral to the territorial economy and to addressing food security. The Commercial Fisheries Industry Safety Support Program will ensure that the health and safety equipment required by fishers and their employees is affordable and readily available on all small commercial fishing vessels operating in the North.”

- Katrina Nokleby, Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment

Quick facts

· There are 34 registered commercial fishers who sell product to the Fresh Water Fish Marketing Corporation

· Eligible commercial fishing activities occur on Great Slave Lake, Tathlina Lake or Kakisa Lake.

· Funding maximums will be based on the eligible fisher’s total production from the previous season

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