Newfoundland and Labrador is joining the global community to mark World Fisheries Day 2024 today and celebrate the vital role the fisheries play in supporting our coastal communities.
World Fisheries Day, held annually on November 21, is an opportunity to celebrate the important contribution that fisheries make around the world. This special day helps foster discussions on local fisheries, important aquatic habitats, and highlights the role that fisheries play in our province.
Among the activities for World Fisheries Day, the department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture welcomed students to reflect on the importance of our fisheries by participating in a creative writing contest.
Students were asked to contribute to Charley’s Adventures, a spin-off series of the provincial book Charley, a Day in the Bay. Young minds were encouraged to be creative and learn more about our marine environment by writing a fictional short story based in the waters of Newfoundland and Labrador. Kindergarten to Grade 6 students throughout the province participated in this contest. Winners are listed in the backgrounder below.
In 2023, the province’s fishing sector was valued at $1.4 billion and provided incomes for more than 16,000 residents of the province. Newfoundland and Labrador’s fishing sector continues to feed the world’s increasing demand for high-quality, sustainably sourced seafood by exporting to over 40 countries annually.
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“Today we celebrate the rich history and the modern-day impact our fisheries have on our culture, economy, and society here in Newfoundland and Labrador. I congratulate all the students who embraced the opportunity to learn about our marine environment and encourage all residents to take a moment today to acknowledge the important contributions that our fisheries workers make every day to ensure the sustainability and prosperity of this vital sector.”
Honourable Gerry Byrne
Minister of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture
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BACKGROUNDER
2024 World Fisheries Day Creative Writing Contest Winners
Primary Category (K-3)
Winner:
Charley’s Bad Day – R. Vincent, Class Submission, Gill Memorial Academy, Musgrave Harbour
Honourable Mentions:
Charley’s Adventures in the Big Land – P. Cobb and N. Blanchard, Class Submission, Amos Comenius Memorial School, Hopedale, Nunatsiavut
Charley’s Adventures, Lost at Sea…- L. Vatcher, Student Submission, Twillingate Island Elementary, Twillingate
Elementary Category (4-6)
Winner:
Charley, and the Chewtastic Adventure – J. Caines, Class Submission, Eastside Elementary, Corner Brook,
Honourable Mentions:
Charley, Trouble in St. Mary’s- L. Tobin, Student Submission, Holy Family Elementary, Paradise
Charley Finds a Shark – N. Dango, Student Submission, St. Georges Elementary, Conception Bay South