Sustainable Fishing Gear and Practices (closed)

Colourful boats docked in the water.

Context

Sustainable fisheries mean harvesting in a way that supports our present socio-economic objectives without compromising the ability to meet our future needs. Recent studies indicate that abandoned, lost or discarded fishing gear (ALDFG, or “ghost gear”) account for up to 70 per cent of macro-plastics in the ocean by weight. Ghost gear also has a damaging impact on marine animals like whales and turtles, the coastal and marine environment, and global fish stocks. More sustainable fishing gear and measures to prevent and address the threat of ghost gear are critical to supporting the whole of government’s efforts to advance the circular economy, achieve Canada's Zero Plastic Waste Agenda and meet our commitments under the Canada-Wide Action Plan on Zero Plastic Waste. In addition, sustainable fishing gear supports objectives of the Blue Economy Strategy by driving ocean health, protection and innovation to build a more sustainable harvesting sector. Reviewing policies and regulations around sustainable gear use is an important step in securing the future of our oceans.

Focus areas

Some of the focus areas that you may wish to consider as you develop your comments on sustainable fishing gear include:

Ghost gear – Explore options to address regulatory impediments to ghost gear retrieval, including during open fishing season, and support implementation of best practices in commercial fisheries that prevent or mitigate the ghost gear threat.

Emerging gear technologies – Explore existing and potential regulations to allow for piloting and adoption of emerging technologies to reduce the loss for fishing gear and/or reduce the impact of loss gear on species and ecosystems in Canadian commercial and recreation fisheries (i.e., biodegradable nets, tracking technologies etc.).

Licensing – Pursuant to subsection 22(1) of the Fishery (General) Regulations the Minister may, for proper management and control of fisheries and the conservation and protection of fish, specify on a license, any condition that is not inconsistent with current Regulations. These conditions may include the type, size and quantity of fishing gear and equipment that is permitted to be used and the manner in which it is permitted to be used. Conditions could restrict the use of certain materials in fishing operations, and could also include information that must be reported to the Department, such as lost and retrieved gears. In fisheries where gear tags are required, annual conditions of license dictate the amount of fishing gear that is permitted to be used, to control effort, and to ensure sustainable and orderly managed fisheries. Is there a need to review the requirements around licensing to ensure practices to reduce gear loss are in place? Are there any changes needed to be made to policies around how we could encourage harvesters to use more sustainable gear or fishing practices?

What we are looking to advance

The comments received from this consultation will help us to:

  • position Canada to become the world leader in the innovation of sustainable fishing gear (and sustainable fishing practices)
  • reduce and eliminate the negative impacts of fishing gear on marine habitat and species
  • promote and support a more sustainable and environmentally friendly fishing sector
  • address regulatory impediments that hinder action to combat ghost gear
  • meet commitments under the Canada-Wide Action Plan on Zero Plastic Waste for Canada and promote ongoing plastic initiatives in support of the Ocean Plastics Charter and Canada’s international commitment towards this issue

How to participate

We are seeking your feedback using the consultation tools below by March 31, 2023.

Sharing your views using this platform provides an opportunity to engage in conversation with others; however, if you prefer to share your views using email, please email BlueEconomy-EconomieBleue@dfo-mpo.gc.ca.

We may follow-up with you to explore your input in more detail and may share your comments with other teams, departments or governments, where relevant. Input received that falls outside of the scope of this consultation will be shared with the relevant regulator(s) for their information.

For assistance

Visit the Let's Talk Federal Regulations 101 Page to learn how:

  • to use the platform
  • to register and provide comments
  • the feedback will be reported back

For technical assistance, visit Technical Support.

Colourful boats docked in the water.

Context

Sustainable fisheries mean harvesting in a way that supports our present socio-economic objectives without compromising the ability to meet our future needs. Recent studies indicate that abandoned, lost or discarded fishing gear (ALDFG, or “ghost gear”) account for up to 70 per cent of macro-plastics in the ocean by weight. Ghost gear also has a damaging impact on marine animals like whales and turtles, the coastal and marine environment, and global fish stocks. More sustainable fishing gear and measures to prevent and address the threat of ghost gear are critical to supporting the whole of government’s efforts to advance the circular economy, achieve Canada's Zero Plastic Waste Agenda and meet our commitments under the Canada-Wide Action Plan on Zero Plastic Waste. In addition, sustainable fishing gear supports objectives of the Blue Economy Strategy by driving ocean health, protection and innovation to build a more sustainable harvesting sector. Reviewing policies and regulations around sustainable gear use is an important step in securing the future of our oceans.

Focus areas

Some of the focus areas that you may wish to consider as you develop your comments on sustainable fishing gear include:

Ghost gear – Explore options to address regulatory impediments to ghost gear retrieval, including during open fishing season, and support implementation of best practices in commercial fisheries that prevent or mitigate the ghost gear threat.

Emerging gear technologies – Explore existing and potential regulations to allow for piloting and adoption of emerging technologies to reduce the loss for fishing gear and/or reduce the impact of loss gear on species and ecosystems in Canadian commercial and recreation fisheries (i.e., biodegradable nets, tracking technologies etc.).

Licensing – Pursuant to subsection 22(1) of the Fishery (General) Regulations the Minister may, for proper management and control of fisheries and the conservation and protection of fish, specify on a license, any condition that is not inconsistent with current Regulations. These conditions may include the type, size and quantity of fishing gear and equipment that is permitted to be used and the manner in which it is permitted to be used. Conditions could restrict the use of certain materials in fishing operations, and could also include information that must be reported to the Department, such as lost and retrieved gears. In fisheries where gear tags are required, annual conditions of license dictate the amount of fishing gear that is permitted to be used, to control effort, and to ensure sustainable and orderly managed fisheries. Is there a need to review the requirements around licensing to ensure practices to reduce gear loss are in place? Are there any changes needed to be made to policies around how we could encourage harvesters to use more sustainable gear or fishing practices?

What we are looking to advance

The comments received from this consultation will help us to:

  • position Canada to become the world leader in the innovation of sustainable fishing gear (and sustainable fishing practices)
  • reduce and eliminate the negative impacts of fishing gear on marine habitat and species
  • promote and support a more sustainable and environmentally friendly fishing sector
  • address regulatory impediments that hinder action to combat ghost gear
  • meet commitments under the Canada-Wide Action Plan on Zero Plastic Waste for Canada and promote ongoing plastic initiatives in support of the Ocean Plastics Charter and Canada’s international commitment towards this issue

How to participate

We are seeking your feedback using the consultation tools below by March 31, 2023.

Sharing your views using this platform provides an opportunity to engage in conversation with others; however, if you prefer to share your views using email, please email BlueEconomy-EconomieBleue@dfo-mpo.gc.ca.

We may follow-up with you to explore your input in more detail and may share your comments with other teams, departments or governments, where relevant. Input received that falls outside of the scope of this consultation will be shared with the relevant regulator(s) for their information.

For assistance

Visit the Let's Talk Federal Regulations 101 Page to learn how:

  • to use the platform
  • to register and provide comments
  • the feedback will be reported back

For technical assistance, visit Technical Support.

CLOSED: This discussion has concluded.
  • Re the making illegal the collecting and possession of dead and dying mackerel ln the beaches of NE newfoundland. DFO enforcement (Melissa Abbott The Broadcast) stated that is was needed so that DFO would be able to enforce existing rules. That is true, but it is an "adminstrative convience" not a biological reason. My question: Is there a biological or ecological reason to justify this decision?

    bdarby asked about 1 year ago

    Thank you @bdarby for sharing your views. We appreciate the perspectives of harvesters who have expressed concerns with not being able to remove mackerel that have washed up on beaches. However, there is always a potential health risk to using and/or consuming dead or dying fish found on a beach. We are interested in hearing more about how this regulation impacts you and your industry. We would also be interested in understanding to what extent alternative bait options are available to you, and hearing about any challenges or suggestions that you might have for facilitating the use of alternative bait during the off-season.

Page last updated: 11 Apr 2023, 04:48 PM