The Government of Nova Scotia has launched a new three-year strategy aimed at strengthening the province’s seafood sector through investment in innovation, aquaculture, market diversification and regulatory reform.
Released by Fisheries and Aquaculture Minister Kent Smith, the Nova Scotia Seafood Sector Strategy 2026-2029 is designed to help seafood businesses respond to rising costs, labour shortages and global trade uncertainty.
Key measures include the creation of a Seafood Sector Innovation Hub, backed by CAD 1.5 million (USD 1.1 million) in the 2026-27 provincial budget, and CAD 4 million (USD 2.9 million) over three years to support market diversification.
The strategy also commits to expanding Nova Scotia’s aquaculture sector, supporting value-added processing and improving approval processes.
Seafood is Nova Scotia’s largest export industry, employing around 19,000 people in 2025. Seafood exports were worth approximately CAD 2.2 billion (USD 1.6 billion) last year.
“The seafood sector is one of our strongest natural assets and has enormous potential to grow,” Smith said.
