Fisheries, oceans are 'near and dear to my heart,' says Bernadette Jordan

To hear her tell it, Bernadette Jordan's new responsibilities as Canada's minister of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans is a natural extension of her life experience.

"This is something I've been a strong advocate for, for the past four years, it's where I come from," Jordan said in a telephone interview from Ottawa, where she was sworn in Wednesday.

"Oceans have always been important to me. I grew up in the fishery."

During her first four years in Ottawa, Jordan spent much of it as a member of the standing committee on fisheries and oceans. She chaired the committee during five of those 32 months.

"It's something that is near and dear to my heart," she said. "I think that's one reason [Prime Minister Justin Trudeau asked me to take on the job]."

Jordan seemed undaunted to be changing portfolios from rural economic development, a department focused on sharing mostly good news, to fisheries, which is filled with controversial issues, including whale deaths, fishing quotas and the constant tug and pull between conservation and fishing industry needs.

In summing up her choice as fisheries minister, the Conservative Party of Canada wrote, "During the most recent election campaign Jordan actively supported shutting down a quarter of Canada's oceans, which is a direct slap in the face to fishermen in Nova Scotia and across the country who depend on the fishery to support their families and their communities."

It's a reference to the fact the governing Liberals plan to increase the number of marine protected areas.

Jordan successfully fended off her Conservative rival, who tried to capitalize on that message in the October election.

"They're going to continue to feed on that," said Jordan. "It's unfortunate because it's causing fear in those communities. We have to make sure that people understand that an MPA [marine protected area] doesn't mean it's a no-take fishing zone."

She said as the federal government designates MPAs, it will continue consulting with fishing groups and will move forward in a way that causes the least impact for fishing areas.

Other issues important to the new minister include ongoing tensions over native fishing and the number of endangered right whales dying in Canadian waters.

In the meantime, her focus is on getting ready for the new sitting of Parliament on Dec. 5.