June 19, 2019 — Canada’s Senate on Tuesday night passed C-68, a bill that amends the country’s more than 150-year-old core fishing legislation, to require rebuilding plans for depleted species populations among other important changes.
Just three of the country’s 105 senators voted against the measure, which now heads to the desk of governor-general Julie Payette for her signature, an act known as “royal assent”, bringing it almost immediately into effect.
“Today is a great day for our oceans. The overhauled Fisheries Act has the potential to be one of the most transformative things that has happened for our oceans in many years,” said Josh Laughren, executive director of Oceana Canada.
Just 34% (66 of 194 stocks) of commercial fish populations in Canada are healthy, while 13% (26 stocks) are critically depleted, only five of which have rebuilding plans (Atlantic cod in the Bay of Fundy/Scotian Shelf; boccaccio rockfish; two yelloweye rockfish groups and northern shrimp in fishing area 6, off the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador).