Atlantic Fisheries Fund doles out $18M to expand N.L. fishery

It's not quite Christmas, but the seafood industry is benefiting financially from the Atlantic Fisheries Fund.

Eighteen million dollars is being spent on 65 projects in the harvesting, processing and aquaculture sectors in Newfoundland and Labrador.

"Our customers want the fish frozen faster," said Alberto Wareham, president of Icewater Seafoods in Arnold's Cove.

"The faster you cutit, the faster you want to freeze it tolock in the texture and quality."

Icewater will receive$3.2 million from the fund to help pay for a state-of-the-art ice management system todo that.

Warehamsaid it takes just fourminutes to process a fish that's ready for freezing. He saysthey are focusing on getting the fish colder as soon as it enters the plant.

To that end, they are buying three stainless steel ice machines and a new ice delivery system.

There's also money for a number of fish harvesters to buy automatic longlineand jigger systems and other gear.

Danny Dumaresqueis CEO of Labrador Gem Seafoods and operates the scallop processing plantin Ramea.

He'll take $100,000from the fund to help pay for arefrigerated recirculating sea water system. That'll help keep scallops alive and fresh while on board the ship after they're harvested.

"One of the biggest concerns that we haveis the reliability of high quality scallops, because for our niche products we need them alive and healthy so that we can provide a sashimi grade product after it's processed,"Dumaresquesaid.

Another of thegoals of the tax moneyisscientific research to try to improve stock assessments andincrease collaboration between industry and universities.

The Atlantic Fisheries Fund will invest over $400 million in Atlantic Canada over a seven-year period.It's cost-shared 70/30 between the federal and provincial governments.

Read more stories from CBCNewfoundland and Labrador