Once a month, we partner up with LobbyIQ to update our readers on recent movements in the federal lobbying landscape in Ottawa. We provide separate coverage for each channel, defined by the most relevant industries, organizations, institutions, and subject matters.

Key Takeaways — Fisheries

• Lobbying activity totalled 18 meetings in April 2026, roughly in line with its 12-month average of 18.2.
• fisheries council of canada, Mowi Canada were more active than usual.

Section A: The Themes Hidden in April 2026 Data

Salmon Aquaculture Transition Drives Regulatory Scrutiny

Ongoing consultations about the mandated transition away from open-net pen salmon farming in British Columbia are coinciding with elevated advocacy by Mowi Canada and the Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance around licensing, tenure, and survival of the sector in April 2026, including direct engagement with Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) and Finance Canada (FIN). This regulatory shift, impacting First Nations and the industry workforce, likely contributes to heightened event-driven lobbying as stakeholders push for clarity and support under the new rules.

📎 The latest on open-net pen salmon farms in B.C. · BC Salmon Farming Faces a High-Stakes Capital Transition

Federal Salmon Funding Spurs Strategic Lobbying

Announced federal investments of over $800 million for Pacific salmon conservation and program renewal in March and April 2026 came amid a visible spike in lobbying by the Fisheries Council of Canada, the Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance, and Mowi Canada to influence science, restoration, and industry innovation funding through meetings with Fisheries and Oceans Canada and Finance Canada. Organizations seeking economic supports and project participation are intensifying engagement around these high-profile initiatives.

📎 A $410 million investment injects hope into the future of Pacific salmon · Federal government puts out $412.9 million to renew the Pacific Salmon ...

Trade and Market Access Concerns Shape Advocacy

Calling for stronger global competitiveness and removal of trade barriers, the Fisheries Council of Canada and the Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance have aligned their policy asks with broader government trade initiatives in spring 2026. This focus on predictable export conditions coincides with increased lobbying directed at Global Affairs Canada and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

📎 News Releases — Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance

Atlantic Salmon Recovery Initiatives Mirror Indigenous Lobbying Surge

Federal support for new Atlantic salmon recovery projects in March 2026, emphasizing Indigenous-led governance and collaborative research, aligns with an uptick in Indigenous public administration lobbying activity that month, including engagement by the Fisheries Council of Canada with Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) on balancing marine conservation with sustainable use. This timing suggests co-management and conservation issues are central to stakeholder engagement efforts, as seen in concurrent meetings by the Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance with the House of Commons and Finance Canada regarding salmon farming transition planning.

📎 Canada allocates CAD 1.2 million to protect wild Atlantic salmon

Section B: Lobbying Activity by Industry

This section compares, by NAICS industry, the lobbying activity in Ottawa last month to its historical average.

Lobbying activity across this channel totalled 18 meetings in April 2026, roughly in line with its 12-month average of 18. The most active industry was Fisheries, while Aquaculture fell below its recent baseline.

Section C: Lobbying by Industry for the Past Year

To contextualize, we show each industry's lobbying activity over the past 12 months. The combined view from Section B and C shows you whether recent differences are persistent trends or a break from the norm.

Top Industry Residual Trends for 2026-04

↳ Aquaculture has been trending downward in lobbying over the past year.

↳ Aquaculture displayed high volatility, suggesting irregular or event-driven engagement.

↳ Fisheries displayed high volatility, suggesting irregular or event-driven engagement.

Section D: Lobbying Activity by Organization

In this section, we see the organizations with the most unusual lobbying behavior last month, defined by either unusually high or unusually low lobbying activity.

The organizations with the most notable increases in lobbying this month include fisheries council of canada, Mowi Canada, and Maritime Fisheries Union.

On the quieter side, Ueushuk Fisheries Ltd., and Underwater Harvesters Association all pulled back from their usual pace.

Section E: Lobbying of Government Institutions in the Past Month

Every time an organization lobbies, there is a government official representing a government institution at the other side of the table. This section shows the industry-institutions pairs with the most unusual lobbying behavior last month, defined by either unusually high or unusually low lobbying activity. Below that, we show the corresponding organization-institution pairs.

Industries → Government Institutions

Organizations → Government Institutions

The busiest industry → institution corridors this month:

↳ Fisheries → Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO): 3 meetings (avg 4, -31%).

↳ Fisheries → Global Affairs Canada (GAC): 2 meetings (avg 0, +300%).

The busiest organization → institution corridors this month:

↳ Mowi Canada → Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO): 2 meetings (avg 1, +140%).

↳ fisheries council of canada → House of Commons: 2 meetings (avg 1, +100%).

Section F: Industry and Organization Lobbying by Subject in the Past Month

All lobbying activity is tagged with a "subject matter". This section shows the industry-subject pairs with the most unusual lobbying behavior last month, defined by either unusually high or unusually low lobbying activity, and below it the organization-subject pairs with the most unusual lobbying behavior last month.

Industries → Subjects

Organizations → Subjects

The busiest industry → subject corridors this month:

↳ Labour organizations → Fisheries: 36 meetings (avg 8, +365%).

↳ Indigenous public administration → Fisheries: 36 meetings (avg 18, +100%).

The busiest organization → subject corridors this month:

↳ The Professional Institute for the Public Service of Canada → Fisheries: 36 meetings (avg 8, +380%).

↳ Memorial University of Newfoundland → Fisheries: 17 meetings (avg 2, +974%).

↳ Indigenous Leadership Initiative → Fisheries: 10 meetings (avg 5, +118%).

Section G: Last Month's Most Lobbied Politicians and Civil Servants

This section presents a list of the politicians and civil servants who took the most meetings with key industry players last month.

Most Lobbied Individuals by Sector

Most Lobbied Individuals by Organization

Among the individuals with the most notable meeting activity (by sector) this month were Fisheries → Clifford Small (House of Commons), Fisheries → Niall O'Dea (Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO)) and Fisheries → Buckley Belanger (Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED)).

Among the individuals with the most notable meeting activity (by organization) this month were fisheries council of canada → Niall O'Dea (Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO)), fisheries council of canada → Anita Anand (Global Affairs Canada (GAC)) and fisheries council of canada → Chris Moran (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC)).