OTTAWA, May 16 (AFP) - Canada announced Monday that it had reached an agreement with Australia to end a 25-year-old Australian ban on the imports of Canadian fresh, chilled and frozen salmon.
Announcing the agreement, International Trade Minister Pierre Pettigrew said Ottawa would withdraw a request before the World Trade Organization for permission to take retaliatory action against Australia.
In a statement, Fisheries Minister Herb Dhaliwal said: "Removal of Australia's 25-year-old import ban is an important achievement.
"Canadian exporters of both wild and farmed salmon will once again be able to supply a wide range of salmon products and species to that market which is valued at over 100 million dollars (67 million US)."
Canada never accepted the Australian contention that the ban was for health reasons.:
