Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador have renewed the Atlantic Fisheries Fund (AFF) for a further five years. The renewed Fund will make strategic investments of over $300 million in projects in the Atlantic Region. The contribution is split, with the Government of Canada providing 60% of the funding, and the Atlantic provinces 40%.
AFF is designed to drive innovation and enhance Atlantic Canada's fish and seafood sector to bring high value, high quality, and sustainable fish and seafood to markets at home and around the world.
- Market Diversification - including export-focused advertising, market analysis, industry branding, and research focused on market access requirements like regulatory standards - to make the fish and seafood sector more resilient to global trade disruptions;
- Innovation - including research and development of new innovations that support the sustainability of the fish and seafood sector, and creating partnerships and networks that promote and encourage innovations in the sector;
- Infrastructure - including the adoption and use of new technologies, processes, or equipment to improve the effectiveness and sustainability of the fish and seafood sector;
- Science Partnerships - fisheries and aquaculture industry-based partnerships with academia and organizations to further our understanding of the impacts of changing oceanographic conditions and sustainable harvesting technology.
Projects eligible for funding
Eligible projects for support under the Market Diversification pillar may include:
- The development and implementation of initiatives to meet consumer demands for product quality and sustainability, such as certification requirements, catch traceability, or eco-labeling
- The creation and placement of incremental national or export-focused advertising;
- Undertaking market readiness activities such as market analysis and use of in-market contractors;
- Research focused on market access requirements such as regulatory standards;
- Developing market specific packaging and branding; obtaining certifications (e.g. ISO, sustainable accreditation) or undertaking productivity improvements needed for new markets;
- Promoting industry branding, promotion, and advertising to highlight the quality, sustainability, and other attributes of Canadian fish and seafood products;
- Supporting the industry to re-organize and re-structure to enable them to better access funding and help support development markets and addressing demands. This includes activities such as trade shows or missions; and
- Hiring a marketing manager (domestically or internationally).
Eligible activities for support under the Innovation pillar may include:
- Research and development of new innovations to contribute to sustainability of fish and seafood sector;
- Undertaking pilots and testing of new innovations;
- Undertaking activities to introduce innovations to market; and
- Initiatives driving the creation of partnerships or networks that aim to support innovation activities in the sector in accordance with the program objectives.
Eligible activities for support under the Infrastructure pillar may include:
- Adopting and/or adapting new technologies, processes, or equipment to improve the effectiveness and sustainability of the fish and seafood sector; and
- Providing training associated with adoption of new technologies, processes, and/or equipment.
Eligible activities for support under the Science Partnerships pillar may include:
- Research on the impacts of ecosystem shifts on fish stocks, distributions, and the commercial fishery;
- Science activities in support of the development of sustainable harvesting technologies; and/or
- Initiatives driving the creation of partnerships or networks that aim to support scientific activities in the sector in accordance with the program objectives.
Eligible recipients
Eligible recipients for AFF funding must reside in a participating Atlantic province or represent a national or regional fish and seafood sector interest and be active in or support activities (e.g., research and development, science) related to the fish and seafood harvesting, processing, or aquaculture sectors:
- Commercial enterprises (including applicable Indigenous individuals, organizations, and/or groups), which include:
- sole proprietorships;
- partnerships (i.e., non-incorporated businesses owned by more than one individual);
- co-operatives; or
- an incorporated entity.
- Non-commercial organizations (not-for-profit organizations), which include:
- industry associations;
- post-secondary institutions;
- research and innovation institutions;
- academics;
- provincial crown corporations; and,
- Indigenous organizations or groups other than commercial enterprises.
All eligible recipients must possess the legal capacity necessary to enter into a contribution agreement.
