Atlantic oil spill summit needed: N.B. minister

New Brunswick's fisheries minister is calling for a special summit to examine theeffects of marine oil spills on the region's fish and seafood industry.

Rick Doucet said he has invited the federal Fisheries Minister Gail O'Shea and his Atlantic counterparts to a symposium to discuss ways to protect the region's marine environment from possible oil spills.

"The current ecological and financial disaster in the Gulf of Mexico demonstrates the potential vulnerability of the fish and seafood sector that co-exists with the oil and gas industries," Doucet said in a statement.

"It reinforces the importance of properly managing our marine and coastal environments such as the Bay of Fundy and the Gulf of Maine."

New Brunswick does not have any offshore oil industry.

But Doucet said the Atlantic fish and seafood industry is worth more than $2.3 billion in exports.

New Brunswick's fisheries minister said the conference would discuss the lessons that are being learnedfrom the Gulf of Mexico disaster and assess the region's plans to deal with a possible spill.

Doucet is also asking the Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment to participate in the event.

Millions of litres of oil have spilled since the Deepwater Horizon rig exploded 80 kilometres off the coast of Louisiana on April 20, killing 11 workers.

N.L. concerns

There were concerns raised on Monday over offshore oil safety at the house of assembly in Newfoundland and Labrador.

NDP Leader Lorraine Michael asked Premier Danny Williams why the provincial government hasn't put a moratorium on further drilling given the Gulf of Mexico disaster.

Williams said he spoke recently with Chevron and Husky officials in Calgary about the situation in the Gulf of Mexico.

The premier said he's confident the companies are doing everything possible to prepare in case a similar situation ever happens off the province's shores.

"I also asked them to elaborate for me on what additional measures have been put in place and am actually in the process of preparing a list and would only be too delighted to provide a list of the safeguards that were in place and the additional safeguards that are being put in place," Williams said on Monday.

Williams said the companies have been implementing improved safety practices for wells off Newfoundland even before the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

Last week, the Newfoundland and Labrador Liberal Party announced it wanted the organization that regulates the province's offshore petroleum industry to do more aerial surveillance for spills.

The Nova Scotia and federal governments announced on May 13 a moratorium on oil and gas exploration on Georges Bank until Dec. 31, 2015.

Nova Scotia Premier Darrell Dexter said at the time of the announcement that more research is needed to assess whether fishing and oil and gas industries can coexist. Dexter also promised a full public review before any testing and drilling is allowed in the rich fishing area southeast of Nova Scotia.