Trade deal with EU will be good for Canadian aquaculture
Last Friday the Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and European Commission President Jose Manual Barroso signed an agreement in principle following five years of sticky negotiations. But there is more work to be done- like drafting of the final text and translation into 24 languages for the 28 EU countries to be able to examine the agreement. The deal also needs to be ratified by the Canadian Provinces. In a same day Press Release, the Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance (CAIA) was quick to welcome the announcement of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement with the European Union:
“The Canada/EU trade deal announced today is welcome news for Canadian aquaculture," said Ruth Salmon, Executive Director of CAIA. “This will open new opportunities for Canadian farmed salmon, arctic char in the Yukon, oysters on the Pacific coast, and mussels in Atlantic Canada. Canada’s seafood farmers stand to benefit from coast to coast to coast.”
The European Union is the world’s single largest market and importer of fish and seafood products. In 2011, it purchased a total of $26.7 billion (~€19 billion) worth of product from around the world.
CAIA members generate over $2 billion (~€1.42 billion) in economic activity, over $1 billion in GDP, and employ over 14,500 Canadians. Its mission is to unlock the full range of economic, environmental and public health benefits that flow from a competitive, sustainable and growing farmed seafood sector.
