Small Craft Harbors play a vital role in the economies of our coastal communities, as many depend on them as a major source of employment. Ensuring these harbors stay in good working condition helps ensure our coastal communities can continue to thrive.
Serge Cormier, Member of Parliament for Acadie—Bathurst, was in Tabusintac, New Brunswick to announce, on behalf of the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, the Honorable Diane Lebouthillier, plans to carry out critical dredging at McEachern’s Point and Pointe-Sapin Small Craft Harbors. This critical work will remove sediment to allow fish harvesters free passage in and out of the harbor.
Budget 2024 announced $463.3 million over three years, starting in 2024-25, for the repair and maintenance of small craft harbors across Canada. This investment will support local economic development for generations to come, providing safe and functional harbors for Canadians working in the fisheries, aquaculture, tourism, construction, and marine engineering sectors.
The Government of Canada is committed to providing safe and functional harbors to support coastal communities. Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) fully understands that the lobster fishing season is fast approaching, and that's why DFO is currently working around the clock to ensure that the dredging contracts for McEachern's Point and Pointe-Sapin harbors are awarded and that dredging work begins as soon as possible.
“Canada’s small craft harbors play such a pivotal role in our coastal communities---they are vital to fish harvesters from coast to coast to coast, play a key role in our cultural identity and support tourism. This investment will help ensure safe access to our waterways and contribute to our local economies,” stated the Honorable Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans, and the Canadian Coast Guard.
"Small craft harbors are the very heart of New Brunswick's coastal communities. This is critical infrastructure to local economies and we need to repair, maintain or build new infrastructure to make it more efficient. By dredging the wharves at McEachern's Point (Tabusintac) and Pointe-Sapin, we are ensuring the safety of fish harvesters and their crew members. With the additional funding in the 2024 federal budget, more wharves in our regions will be repaired in the near future,” adds Serge Cormier, Member of Parliament for Acadie—Bathurst
Quick Facts
- Small Craft Harbors support more than 45,000 jobs within the Canadian commercial fishing industry as well as many thousands of additional jobs in supporting industries.
- McEachern’s Point Harbor accommodates 39 commercial vessels for the spring lobster fishery. The average value of annual lobster landings at this harbor is $5 million.
- Pointe-Sapin Harbor accommodates 82 commercial vessels for the spring and summer lobster fisheries. The average value of annual lobster landings at this harbor is $7 million.
