Saving Seafood

Canada becomes first G20 country to ban trade in shark fins

June 20, 2019 — Canada passed a new law banning the import and export of shark fins, which also includes a requirement to rebuild depleted fish populations.

The new Fisheries Act, approved late on Tuesday, was hailed by environmental and conservation groups as a win for the preservation of fish habitats and for the shark population. Canada has become the first G20 country to ban the export and import of shark fins, said Josh Laughren, executive director of Oceana Canada, a private conservation group.

“With all laws, how they’re implemented matters, but there’s no question this has the potential to be transformative for how we manage Canada’s oceans,” Laughren said.

Read the full story at Reuters

Canada’s ‘transformative’ fishing bill, C-68, heads to royal assent

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).

Read the full story at Undercurrent News

Canadian gov’t to put $80m into rebuilding stocks

November 26, 2018 — Canada’s finance minister Bill Moreau has announced an investment of CAD 107.4 million ($81.3m) over five years for the rebuilding and assessment of fish stocks across the country.

In response to this announcement, Oceana Canada’s executive director, Josh Laughren, said:

“This is great news for Canada’s fisheries and a critical investment that will help address one of the most urgent challenges in managing Canada’s oceans: the need to rebuild depleted fisheries and rebuild abundance.”

Read the full story at Undercurrent News