OTTAWA - The Honourable Robert G. Thibault, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, today congratulated the four recipients of the National Awards for Responsible Fishing. One of the recipients also received the Roméo LeBlanc Medal. The Awards and the Medal are presented annually in recognition of the outstanding contribution by Canadian commercial fishermen to the development of responsible fishing practices.

The Right Honourable Roméo LeBlanc, Governor General of Canada from 1995 to 1999, will present this year's medal and awards at a ceremony to be held in the Senate Rotunda, Parliament Buildings.

"The recipients of the awards and the medal are very deserving of this honour," said Minister Thibault. "Their commitment to the development of sustainable fishing methods and their promotion of sustainable fishing practices is vital to the conservation of the resource."

The 2002 Pacific Award laureate and winner of the Roméo LeBlanc Medal, is Jake Fraser of Medeira Park, British Columbia, in recognition of his very successful salmon by-catch control innovations.

From the fresh water fisheries, Milford Purdy of Point Edwards Ontario has actively contributed to Great Lakes fisheries science and management for nearly half a century. Gary McLeod of Bridgewater, Nova Scotia has been a driving force behind the use of satellite technologies to monitor and manage scallop fisheries, and is this year's Atlantic laureate. Allen Gordon, an Inuit subsistence and commercial fisher from Kuujjaq, Quebec, is receiving the Arctic award for his work and innovations in arctic char habitat enhancement.

Canada is the first country to adopt the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fishing Operations, which reflects a new co-operative effort to improve harvesting and fisheries management practices.

Each year, four active commercial fish harvesters from Canada's Arctic, Atlantic, Pacific, and freshwater fisheries are selected for the national Awards. One of the four recipients is also awarded the Roméo LeBlanc Medal.

"In the end, conservation depends on fishermen," said the Honourable Roméo LeBlanc. "And the four recipients we honour today are leading the way."

Rick Misner, Chairman of the Canadian Responsible Fisheries Board, thanked the Right Honourable Roméo LeBlanc for his continued support of initiatives and activities related to responsible fishing in Canada.

"Through a long career of Public Service Mr. LeBlanc has been a strong supporter of the commercial industry," said Mr. Misner. "We wereextremely grateful when, as Governor General, he agreed to lend his name as Patron of these awards. This is the third year that the awards have been presented and Mr. LeBlanc has participated at every ceremony."

The Roméo LeBlanc Medal and Awards for Responsible Fishing was created in 1999 by the Canadian Responsible Fisheries Board. The Board's Awards Committee, made up of representatives from the commercial fishing industry, assesses the nominations according to established criteria and selects the laureates. Recipients, and nominees, must be practicing Canadian commercial fishermen and are nominated by their peers and/or commercial fishing associations.

Media contacts:

Jennifer Savoy
Director of Communications, Office of the Minister
Fisheries and Oceans, Ottawa
(613) 996-0076

Myriam Brochu
Manager, Media Relations
Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Ottawa
(613) 998-1530