Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture: About us

The Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture helps develop, promote and support fisheries, aquaculture, seafood processing and sportfishing. We’re responsible for the continuous improvement of industry regulations to support the development of the fisheries and aquaculture sectors. We also help promote the province’s seafood products throughout Canada and around the world.

• working with industry and government partners to promote Nova Scotia seafood companies and their products as premium quality, safe and sustainable
• regulating, licensing and supporting responsible development of sustainable aquaculture throughout the province and the development of Nova Scotia’s fish buying and fish processing sector
• supporting scientific research and coastal data collection to enable the responsible development of coastal resources
• managing the sportfishing sector, including licensing, regulation, conservation activities and operating 3 fish hatcheries to provide sportfishing opportunities throughout the province
• providing marine advisory and coastal zone management services to seafood sectors
• providing lending through the Nova Scotia Fisheries and Aquaculture Loan Board
• issuing rockweed harvesting leases and regulating rockweed harvesting

The Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture has about 80 staff across the province, including fish health specialists, biologists, marine industry liaison officers, fisheries specialists and technicians, marine strategists, administrative professionals, researchers, analysts and marketing experts.

• supporting sustainable growth in seafood sectors through innovation, diversification and transformation
• strengthening supports for enforcement of illegal fisheries activities
• developing a strategy for seafood sectors
• supporting international market diversification for Nova Scotia seafood products in response to emerging risks and opportunities
• enabling sustainable aquaculture
• supporting climate change readiness and clean growth in the fisheries and aquaculture sectors
• developing and enhancing the sportfishing sector to help meet government’s accessibility commitments