Fisheries and the Canadian economy
1.1 Commercial fisheries, aquaculture and processing
In 2004, the total value of sea port landings by commercial fishers reached $2.26 billion (1.11 million tonnes) in Canada, slightly higher when com-pared to 2002 (by $76 million or 3%). The higher price of snow crab and Greenland halibut in 2004 and the 45,000-tonne increase in the total volume of landings (4%) contributed to the rise in the value of all landings.
Commercial freshwater fisheries and aquaculture did not fare as well as marine fisheries during the year. In 2004, the value of landings in freshwater ports reached $64 million, a $21 million drop (25%) over 2002. The value of aquaculture production was also lower, from $628 million in 2002 to $527 million in 2004. The 16% decrease ($101 million) was attributable in large part to the substantial de-crease in aquaculture salmon production of almost 30,000 tonnes (23%) in 2004.
Production by the fish and seafood processing industry reached a value of $4.37 billion in 2004, almost $300 million lower than in 2002 (6%). The marked depreciation of the American dollar vis-à-vis the Canadian dollar between 2002 and 2004 (from $1.60 CAN to $1.22 CAN for every US dollar) has largely contributed to this decrease, especially given that the majority of this industry's production is destined for export to the American market (more than 65%, on average, of Canadian fish and sea-food products exports between 2002 and 2004).
| Industry | Value of production ($m) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | Change 2002-2004 (%) |
|
| Marine fisheries | 2,185 | 2,272 | 2,261 | 3% |
| Freshwater fisheries | 85 | 72 | 64 | -25% |
| Aquaculture | 628 | 591 | 527 | -16% |
| Processing1 | 4,664 | 4,699 | 4,374 | -6% |
| Total | 7,563 | 7,633 | 7,225 | -4% |
1Seafood product preparation and packaging.
Sources: Statistics Canada and DFO, Economic Analysis and Statistics.
1.2 Contribution to the economy
Canada's employment numbers in the three fishing-related industries decreased in 2004. The commercial fishing harvesting industry employed 50,867 fishers and crew members, 1,396 less than the 2002 figure (-3%). The aquaculture industry employed 3,985 workers, 265 fewer than in 2002 (-6%).
The fish and seafood processing industry accounted for 32,204 workers in 2004 or 2,059 workers less than in 2002 (-6 %).
| Industry | Employment estimates (number of persons) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | Change 2002-2004 (%) |
|
| Fishing (Harvesting) | 52,263 | 51,982 | 50,867 | -3% |
| Processing1 | 34,236 | 35,185 | 32,204 | -6% |
| Aquaculture | 4,250 | 4,005 | 3,985 | -6% |
| Total | 90,749 | 91,172 | 87,056 | -4% |
1Seafood product preparation and packaging. Sources: Statistics Canada and DFO, Economic Analysis and Statistics.
These three industries combined account for less than 1% of the Canadian gross domestic product (GDP), but their contribution is relatively more im-portant at the regional and community levels across the country, particularly in the coastal communities of Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfound-land and Labrador, New Brunswick, Quebec and British Columbia.
1.3 International trade
Despite the relatively modest position occupied by the fishing industry in the Canadian economy, Canada is one of the world's leading exporters of fish and seafood (ranked sixth worldwide in terms of the value of exports in 2004). However, as with most Canadian primary industries, the United States remains the principal export market, which, in the short-run, makes the fishing industry highly vulner-able to fluctuations in the exchange rate between the Canadian and the American dollar.
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