Audit finds Canada's fisheries in decline, says response lacks urgency

Audit finds Canada's fisheries in decline, says response lacks urgency

ST. JOHN’S, N.L. — An annual audit of Canada’s fisheries has flagged a decline in the number of healthy fish stocks over the last two years and warned they will continue to suffer without more specific government action.

The findings are contained in a report released Wednesday by the advocacy group Oceana Canada, its third report card on the state of the country’s fisheries based on data from the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans.

The report urges Ottawa to finalize regulations setting timelines and targets for rebuilding critically depleted stocks, predicting the situation will deteriorate further if such actions are not taken.

This year’s audit concluded that 17 per cent of Canada’s fish stocks are critically depleted, up from 13.4 per cent in 2018. Fisheries in what the group calls the cautious or critical zones outnumbered the 29.4 per cent of stocks considered healthy.
The health status of 38 per cent of stocks could not be assessed due to insufficient data.

Robert Rangeley, science director with the organization, said the series of audits has revealed worrying trends, including a disappointing lack of action on the continuing “crisis” in Canada’s fisheries.

“I thought by our third audit we’d see more progress,” he said by phone from Ottawa.
He said the federal response has failed to keep pace with the rising number of critically depleted stocks, a situation that may worsen as the oceans undergo unpredictable changes from climate change.

“There’s a lot of really good and smart people in charge of the science and management of our oceans, but progress is too slow,” he said. “The urgency is only getting greater.”

The report cited some progress, including an increase in scientific publications assessing fish stock health and greater transparency of fishery monitoring. It also pointed to the new Fisheries Act, amended in June, as an opportunity for progress. But it said still-developing regulations should include such provisions as timelines for stock rebuilding plans and standardized monitoring systems in order for the new legislation to make a difference.

“Ultimately, the act will only be as effective as its implementation,” the report reads.
Twenty-four of the country’s critically depleted fish stocks are in Eastern Canada, including Atlantic cod and northern shrimp. Nine critically depleted stocks live in waters around British Columbia, where numbers of critical stocks are on the rise, according to the report.

The report also highlighted an increasing number of critically depleted crustacean stocks as a cause for concern. It cited the species group’s importance to the fishing industry in Canada, accounting for three-quarters of fisheries landings as of 2017.

“Continued declines in crustacean fisheries would be a major economic shock to coastal communities,” the report says.
Several invertebrates went from a healthy status to a “cautious” designation, including Northern shrimp, pink shrimp and sidestripe shrimp in B.C. Three other Pacific shrimp stocks and Scotian Shelf snow crab were classified as critically depleted this year, bringing the total number of critically depleted crustacean stocks to seven, as opposed to just one in 2017.

Rangeley said a real commitment is needed to rebuild fisheries and avoid another collapse like that of the northern cod. The stock has gone without a rebuilding plan since it collapsed in 1992, throwing thousands out of work and devastating fishing communities in Newfoundland.

This year’s audit criticized DFO’s decision to increase the northern cod catch quota by 30 per cent this spring, saying it undermines the new Fisheries Act and government policy to keep fishing of depleted stocks at the lower possible levels.
“There’s no plan for success here,” Rangeley said of the northern cod decision.

Of all 33 stocks considered critically depleted, just six — or 18 per cent — have rebuilding plans in place.

“Fishing continues under status quo conditions until conditions change,” Rangeley said. “If you don’t have clear signals to participants on when things are going to change, and you’re not collecting accurate data, then we will continue having fishery audits year after year with insufficient progress.”

https://vancouversun.com/news/nation...-lacks-urgency

DFO are useless I swear they want the fish to disapear so tey dont have to deal with them anymore......

Nog I have a question ....What does the word " Stewardship " mean ...Cause this is the crux of the fishery problem....There has been a considerable lack of Stewardship don't you agree ..We need a new Steward of our Fisheries in Canada as DFO do not fit the bill ...Your answer greatly appreciated....Dennis

DFO has never shown ANY competence in my lifetime on either coast for any species. How many of these reports have we seen over the past oh I dunno,,,,50 years at least??
THis is a joke;
“There’s a lot of really good and smart people in charge of the science and management of our oceans, but progress is too slow,” No,, if they were really smart and good at management we wouldnt be in the predicament we are.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by elknut

Nog I have a question ....What does the word " Stewardship " mean ...Cause this is the crux of the fishery problem....There has been a considerable lack of Stewardship don't you agree ..We need a new Steward of our Fisheries in Canada as DFO do not fit the bill ...Your answer greatly appreciated....Dennis

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According to Merriam Webster, stewardship is “the conducting, supervising, or managing of something; especially the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one's care.”

This is something that DFO have proven totally incapable of doing over and over and over again.
Were anyone in the private sector to govern themselves so effing far removed from their operable mandate, they would be gone in a heartbeat. I do not refer to the hard-working front line bio types here, but rather the bureaucrats who pander and cater to their politico master's every wacked out whim. Fisheries management in Canada is well recognized as "Political Mismanagement At It's Finest". For a very real reason. :evil:

It is a sad state of affairs when the worst constraints and threats to our fishery stocks are their so-called managers!

Probably the answer you expected Dennis, as it is simply the sad truth of the matter.

Nog

DFO need to be fired and a provincial entity take control of our fisheries.

Another question Nog....How can we make DFO responsible for Stewardship ...In other wise take them to task through the courts?...Surely there can be a case brought against DFO for there total incompetence of this Ministry...Somewhere there has to be a lawyer that would bring a case forward that might reach the Supreme Court and find them incompetent and then remove them....A precedent has to be set to change DFO's behaviour...An example is the Caribou recovery strategy in BC that was brought about by the Endangered Species ...They are trying to save a few caribou and in the process the Federal Govt has forced the Provincial Govt to act or have it imposed from Ottawa ...There must be some way to get DFO to act responsibly ...Your past career and knowledge is needed and people like you to try to create a watershed moment and start the ball rolling ...Hopefully I have made some sense ...Websters answer of the defintion in itself finds the DFO incompetent...Dennis....Oh and thanks for being a frontline reporter .....

No one will touch the unrecorded slaughter of all animals and fishes of BC. No one. No court, no DFO, and no CO. The liberal way is in now.