Summerside – In a special ceremony at the Atlantic Police Academy in Summerside, Prince Edward Island, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) celebrated the success and achievements of the latest troop of graduates from its Fishery Officer Initial Training Program.
The 28 graduates from Troop 23-3 successfully completed a rigorous 19-week training program that included both classroom and practical training. During this time, the cadets were equipped with the knowledge and applied skills needed to respond to evolving issues relating to fisheries and fish habitat conservation and protection. They also heard directly from an Abegweit First Nation Elder, who shared his knowledge about the social, cultural and spiritual importance of fisheries, oceans, aquatic habitat and marine waterways to Indigenous communities. They now join the 46 graduates from Troops 23-1 and 23-2 who earlier this year entered the ranks of Canada’s contingent of over 600 fishery officers.
Having completed this major milestone, Canada’s new officers will now be required to undergo 30 months of practical training to put what they have learned into action.
The graduating troops of 2023 will be deployed across the country in various regional locations including DFO’s Pacific, Arctic, Ontario and the Prairies, Quebec, Gulf, Maritimes, and Newfoundland and Labrador regions, to begin their career as fishery officers.
Canada’s fishery officers have the important responsibility of enforcing key legislation, including the Fisheries Act, the Species at Risk Act, and the Costal Fisheries Protection Act to help conserve the marine environment. In their new role as fishery officers, the graduates have committed themselves to educating Canadians on the importance of conservation, building trust, and fostering a sense of responsibility for our natural environment.
“Congratulations to this year’s graduating cadets for completing the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Fishery Officer Career Progression Program. You are important and influential representatives of DFO, and of the Government of Canada. On behalf of all Canadians, thank you for choosing a career in the public service, and for taking up the vital work of conservation and protection. Our natural environment will be more protected, healthier, and more resilient for it.” – Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard