The CEO of Carino Processing is welcoming federal plans to improve marine science.

Dion Dakins attended last week’s two-day Seal Summit in St. John’s involving industry players, researchers and decision-makers.

He says market access is a huge issue for his business and basic science is needed to build sustainability and markets.

Dakins came out of the summit feeling optimistic about the future of the industry and the fishing sector as a whole. He was pleased to see the federal government respond to calls for better science.

He says DFO is going to commission third-party science on the impact of seals in the environment under the Ecosystems and Oceans Science Contribution Framework.

Meanwhile, the Seals and Sealing Network is also applauding federal minister Joyce Murray on last week’s summit and the commitment to gaining a better understanding of the role of seals in the ecosystem.