Fisheries and Marine Institute of Memorial University of Newfoundland

On Wednesday, Nov. 14, the Canadian Centre for Fisheries Innovation (CCFI) is opening its doors to the community as part of a national university open house - Open Doors, Open Knowledge - organized by the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC).

CCFI is a not-for-profit organization owned by Memorial University of Newfoundland, led by a board drawn mainly from industry, and funded by the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, with additional support from the Maritime provinces' governments. The centre is essentially a portal through which the aquaculture, fish harvesting and fish processing industries are provided access to the people, knowledge and facilities of academic institutions to take advantage of opportunities and solve problems.  CCFI projects aim to improve the productivity and profitability of the industries that the centre serves. 

In keeping with this year's theme, "Putting ideas to work for Canadians", CCFI is hosting a presentation and tour, highlighting the centre's success in bringing together the expertise and applied research resources of Memorial University with fish farmers, harvesters, processors and equipment developers to enhance productivity and entrepreneurship in the fisheries sector.

The event will take place in Hampton Hall at the Fisheries and Marine Institute of Memorial University, St. John's, on Ridge Road at 10 a.m.

"CCFI was formed specifically to serve the needs of industry, by making available the tremendous capabilities of Memorial University and other academic institutions," said Robert Verge, managing director of the centre. "We have been in business for nearly 24 years.  During that time, the capture fishery has made a major transition from being based primarily on groundfish to being based mainly on shellfish.  And aquaculture has developed from a very small industry to a much larger one, with great potential for further expansion.  We have played a significant role in these developments."

Partnerships between universities and the private sector, as well as the not-for-profit sector, provide students and new graduates with invaluable hands-on research experience.  Through research projects, internships and co-ops, students can enhance their knowledge and skills while making connections with future employers.

"We need to further develop these kinds of partnerships, both in number and scale, to achieve Canada's potential in innovation and productivity," said Christine Tausig Ford, vice-president of AUCC. "We need to invest in ways that link university researchers and students - the creative people who develop new knowledge - with businesses that turn that knowledge into new products, processes, services and technologies." 

More than 30 Open Doors, Open Knowledge events are taking place at institutions across Canada, with most scheduled during Nov. 9-18. For more information on the Canadian Centre for Fisheries Innovation, go to www.ccfi.ca