OTTAWA, ONTARIO -- (Marketwire) -- 03/10/13 -- The Honourable Keith Ashfield, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, today released the 2012 trade figures for Canada's exports of fish and seafood products. Canada exported $4.14 billion in fish and seafood products in 2012, an increase of $41 million from 2011.

"Fish and seafood is one of the largest single food commodities exported by Canada. The strong exports in 2012 demonstrate the trust consumers place in our fish and seafood products worldwide," said Minister Ashfield. "The sector currently employs approximately 80,000 Canadians who are involved in commercial fishing, aquaculture and processing activities. We are proud of this industry and will continue to support it."

"Our fisheries and aquaculture operations are managed in a responsible and sustainable manner to ensure economic benefits for current and future generations. Canadian fish and seafood products are among the best in the world," added Minister Ashfield.

Canada exported fish and seafood products to 118 countries last year, with approximately 62 percent of those exports destined for the United States at a value of $2.6 billion. The People's Republic of China and the European Union are also significant markets, importing more than $439 million and $343 million worth of Canadian fish and seafood products respectively in 2012. Canada's largest exports by value were lobster, snow/queen crab, Atlantic salmon, and shrimp. In 2012, these species accounted for 48 percent (284 tonnes) of all fish and seafood exports by volume and 61 percent ($2.5 billion) of the total value of exports.

This weekend (March 9-12), Minister Ashfield will participate at the International Boston Seafood Show, North America's largest fish and seafood trade show. The Department is attending the tradeshow to support Canada's fisheries and aquaculture industries, and as part of the Government of Canada's coordinated effort to showcase Canada's commitment to sustainability.

Gerald Keddy, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Trade, for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and for the Atlantic Gateway, will also attend the Boston Seafood Show. He will meet with Canadian stakeholders and highlight the benefits a Canada-EU trade agreement would bring to Canada's fish and seafood industry.

"With its world-class fish and seafood industry, Canada stands to benefit greatly from a Canada-EU trade agreement," said Parliamentary Secretary Keddy. "Canada has a historic opportunity to gain preferential access to the European Union, a 500 million consumer market and the world's largest importer of fish and seafood, importing an average of $25 billion annually. This will in turn create jobs and long-term prosperity for hard-working Canadians across the country."

Canada's fish and seafood exports to the EU were worth $404 million in 2012. These exports currently face average EU tariffs of 11 percent, with peaks up to 25 percent. Once implemented, a Canada-EU trade deal would immediately eliminate EU tariffs on most fish and seafood products.

"Our Government remains focused on four priorities, as outlined by the Prime Minister, that Canadians care most about: their families, their safety, their pride in being a citizen of this country, and of course, their personal financial security," concluded Minister Ashfield.

For more information about Canadian fish and seafood exports and other useful statistics, consult the backgrounder Provincial and Territorial Statistics on Canada's Fish and Seafood Exports in 2012 on the Fisheries and Oceans website or visit http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/stats/stats-eng.htm.

Read more about Canada's commitment to sustainability in our wild capture fishery and aquaculture sectors at www.sustainable-seafood.ca.

Backgrounder:

--  Provincial and Territorial Statistics on Canada's Fish and Seafood
    Exports in 2012 

For broadcast :

The Honourable Keith Ashfield, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, today released the 2012 trade figures for Canada's exports of fish and seafood products. Canada exported $4.14 billion in fish and seafood products last year, an increase of $41 million from 2011. Fish and seafood is one of the largest single food commodities exported by Canada. The sector currently employs approximately 80,000 Canadians who are involved in commercial fishing, aquaculture and processing activities.

Internet: http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca

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BACKGROUNDER

PROVINCIAL AND TERRITORIAL STATISTICS ON CANADA'S FISH AND SEAFOOD EXPORTS IN 2012

Fish and seafood are among the largest single food commodities exported by Canada. In 2012, Canada exported $4.1 billion of fish and seafood products, an increase of $41 million from 2011. Approximately 85 percent of all fish landed by Canadian harvesters are exported to foreign markets.

International trade figures show that 62 percent of Canadian fish and seafood exports were destined for the United States at a value of $2.6 billion. The People's Republic of China and the European Union were important export markets in 2012, accounting for $439 million and $343 million worth of exports respectively. These two markets accounted for 19 percent of total Canadian fish and seafood exports worldwide.

Canada's largest exports by species were lobster, snow/queen crab, Atlantic salmon and shrimp. In 2012, these species represented 61 percent of the total value ($2.5 billion) and 48 percent of the total volume (284 tonnes) of fish and seafood exports. Lobster remains Canada's top export species in terms of value, with $1 billion of exports in 2012.

Provincially, the largest exporter of fish and seafood products was New Brunswick, followed by Nova Scotia, British Columbia, Newfoundland and Labrador, Quebec and Prince Edward Island.

Details about the 2012 provincial and territorial exports of fish and seafood products are presented below:

New Brunswick

--  Canada's largest exporter of fish and seafood, with exports valued at
    $967.2 million. 
--  Exported 105,522 tonnes (t) of fish and seafood. 
--  Top three exports by value were lobster (22,058 t valued at $475.4
    million), farmed Atlantic salmon (35,620 t valued at $210.8 million) and
    snow/queen crab (8,736 t valued at $99.1 million). 

Nova Scotia

--  Canada's second largest exporter of fish and seafood, with exports
    valued at $915.4 million. 
--  Exported 111,330 tonnes of fish and seafood. 
--  Top three exports by value were lobster (25,924 t valued at $373.5
    million), snow/queen crab (8,945 t valued at $100.7 million) and scallop
    (4,332 t valued at $98.2 million). 

British Columbia

--  Canada's third largest exporter of fish and seafood, with exports valued
    at $871.5 million. 
--  Exported 166,277 tonnes of fish and seafood. 
--  Top three exports by value were farmed Atlantic salmon (51,788 t valued
    at $290.5 million), crab (5,138 t valued at $69 million) and hake
    (27,454 t valued at $53.4 million). 

Newfoundland and Labrador

--  Canada's fourth largest exporter of fish and seafood, with exports
    valued at almost $765.6 million in 2012. 
--  Exported 136,462 tonnes of fish and seafood. 
--  Top three exports by value were snow/queen crab (24,570 t valued at
    $266.5 million), shrimp (57,700 t valued at $234 million) and Clam
    (4,973 t valued at $49.7 million). 

Quebec

--  Canada's fifth largest exporter of fish and seafood, with exports valued
    at $264.3 million in 2012. 
--  Exported 26,517 tonnes of fish and seafood. 
--  Top three exports by value were snow/queen crab (7,438 t valued at $80
    million), lobster (4,031 t valued at $79.2 million) and shrimp (1,364 t
    valued at $15.5 million). 

Prince Edward Island

--  Canada's sixth largest exporter of fish and seafood, with exports valued
    at $197.5 million. 
--  Exported 23,429 tonnes of fish and seafood. 
--  Top three exports by value were lobster (6,357 t valued at $134
    million), mussel (13,735 t valued at $37.3 million) and oyster (760 t
    valued at $4.7 million). 

Ontario

--  Canada's seventh largest exporter of fish and seafood, with exports
    valued at $92.6 million. 
--  Exported approximately 15,731 tonnes of fish and seafood. 
--  Top three exports by value were pickerel (1,185 t valued at $12.4
    million), perch (1,480 t valued at $12.3 million) and whitefish (2,317 t
    valued at $11.2 million). 

Manitoba

--  Canada's eighth largest exporter of fish and seafood, with exports
    valued at $54.1 million. 
--  Exported approximately 6,654 tonnes of fish and seafood. 
--  Top three exports by value were perch (1,624 t valued at $28.7 million),
    whitefish (1,941 t valued at $8.6 million) and pike (630 t valued at
    $2.1 million). 

Saskatchewan

--  Canada's ninth largest exporter of fish and seafood, with exports valued
    at $5.5 million. 
--  Exported approximately 737 tonnes of fish and seafood. 
--  Top three exports by value were rainbow trout (595 t valued at $4.4
    million), whitefish (8.8 t valued at $46,573) and cod (2.6 t valued at
    $18,681). 

Alberta

--  Canada's tenth largest exporter of fish and seafood, with exports valued
    at $3 million. 
--  Exported approximately 479 tonnes of fish and seafood. 
--  Top three exports by value were sockeye salmon (6 t valued at $128,896),
    shrimp (24 t valued at $86,115) and herring (303 t valued at $85,823). 

Nunavut

--  Canada's eleventh largest exporter of fish and seafood, with exports
    valued at $1.3 million. 
--  Exported approximately 260 tonnes of fish and seafood. 
--  Top three exports by value were Greenland halibut (211 t valued at $1
    million), shrimp (42 t valued at $195,364) and salmonidae species (2.1 t
    valued at $42,173). 

Yukon

--  Canada's twelfth largest exporter of fish and seafood, with exports
    valued at $181,886. 
--  Yukon exported 47 tonnes of fish and seafood in 2012. 

Northwest Territories

--  Canada's thirteenth largest exporter of fish and seafood, with exports
    valued at $74,953 in 2012. 
--  Exported eight tonnes of fish and seafood. 
--  Main exports by value were Greenland halibut (7 t valued at $53,703) and
    lobster (1.2 t valued at $21,250).