In February 2020, the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans announced new requirements for non-tended, fixed gear fisheries in Atlantic Canada and Quebec to adopt gear modifications to alleviate entanglements by the end of 2022. On August 11^th, 2021, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) announced the Whalesafe Gear Adoption Fund (WSGF), a new way to support this commitment to reducing harm and risk of harm whales from commercial fishing activities.

The WSGF fund consists of $20M in contribution agreement funding over two years (2021-2023) to support projects that advance the adoption of methods to prevent and alleviate whale entanglement. This initiative supports the adoption of existing whalesafe gear, devices, and systems in commercial fisheries and trials and validation of such gear, devices, and systems, to bring them to operational use by 2023 fishing seasons.

DFO will be accepting applications to the fund from August 13, 2021, to September 10^th, 2021. The second round of funding will open in December 2021.

DFO is offering two bilingual information sessions about the fund on the following dates:

Monday 23 Aug 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Atlantic time

Join Zoom Meeting         https://zoom.us/j/98543463346 Meeting ID: 985 4346 3346 One tap mobile +15873281099,,98543463346# Canada +16473744685,,98543463346# Canada 855 703 8985 Canada Toll-free If you have technical difficulties in joining the meeting, please contact Jessica.Dickson@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

 

Wednesday 25 August 3:00-4:30 Atlantic time

Join Zoom Meeting    https://zoom.us/j/96121065168 Meeting ID: 961 2106 5168 One tap mobile +12042727920,,96121065168# Canada +14388097799,,96121065168# Canada 855 703 8985 Canada toll-free If you have technical difficulties in joining the meeting, please contact Jessica.Dickson@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

 

We invite you to attend one of these sessions where we will provide a summary of information about the WSGF, and answer questions from potential applicants.

For further information, please visit Whalesafe Gear Adoption Fund (dfo-mpo.gc.ca)

If you and/or your organization have further questions or concerns, please contact us at DFO.WSGF-FEPB.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

 

Whalesafe Gear Adoption Fund (WSGF) | Fonds d’adoption des équipements pour la protection des baleines (FEPB)

Integrated Resource Management-National Programs | Gestion intégrée des ressources -Programmes nationaux

Fisheries and Oceans Canada | Pêches et Océans Canada

200 Kent Street | 200, rue Kent

Ottawa, Ontario Canada  K1A 0E6

E-Mail | Courriel: DFO.WSGF-FEPB.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

Government of Canada | Gouvernement du Canada