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OTTAWA – The Honourable Loyola Hearn, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, today
expressed his satisfaction with the outcomes of this year’s annual meeting of the
Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO).
"Building on our achievements of last year, NAFO has committed to new measures
that will further protect our fisheries and oceans in the Northwest Atlantic, while
maintaining the exclusive rights of Canada over our economic zone," said Minister
Hearn.
"Our government’s priorities were on reform and protecting Canada’s allocations.
We’ve made further strides on reform and strengthened our hold on allocations."
To deal head-on with overfishing in the Greenland halibut (turbot) fishery, NAFO
has introduced significantly stronger control measures mandatory for all vessels
involved in this fishery. For example, vessels intending to fish turbot in the NAFO
Regulatory Area (NRA) must now give prior notice of the date and time that they
will enter the NRA, and when they enter, these vessels must report the quantity
of fish already on board. This will help Canadian patrol vessels target their inspections
and help eliminate opportunities to misreport catch. In addition, turbot fishing
vessels are now required to report catches more often, which will help NAFO inspectors
keep closer account of total amounts being fished and tracked their catches on a
continuous basis.
"Canada pushed hard for these tougher measures and I’m pleased that they were
adopted by all NAFO members," said Minister Hearn. "I’m also happy to report that
the Greenland halibut fisheries are closed for this year, and I would like to thank
the ministers from Spain and Portugal for their action in this regard."
In addition to tighter management controls for the Greenland halibut fishery,
NAFO will hold a workshop of scientists and managers in February 2008 to evaluate
alternative management strategies for turbot stock rebuilding.
The reform of the NAFO Convention was another achievement for Canada at this
year’s meeting. In particular, the amended text negotiated by Canadian officials
ensures that no NAFO member can infringe upon Canada’s sovereign rights in its 200-nautical
mile Exclusive Economic Zone. Voting procedures also give greater protection to
existing quotas of fish stocks allotted to Canada. If anyone wishes to change the
way quotas are allocated by NAFO, they will need to get the support of 2/3 of the
NAFO members.
"As I made very clear going into this meeting, Canada’s New Government will never
accept any proposal that weakens our ability to manage fisheries within our own
200-mile limit," said Minister Hearn. "I am proud to announce that Canada has signed
on to a better NAFO Convention. It is the right way forward for NAFO and for Canada."
"The amended Convention protects the interests of Canadians and integrates the
most up-to-date decision-making and management practices," said Loyola Sullivan,
Canada’s Ambassador for Fisheries Conservation, who participated in the meeting
in Lisbon.
In keeping with the 2006 Sustainable Fisheries Resolution of the United Nations
General Assembly, NAFO adopted many of Canada’s recommendations to protect deep-water
and cold-water corals. This includes the immediate closure, for a five-year period,
of a coral protection zone to all bottom contact fishing gear in NAFO Division 3O
on the Grand Banks off the southeast coast of Newfoundland and Labrador between
800 and 2,000 metres.
While this is progress to protect vulnerable marine ecosystems, NAFO will also
hold a special intersessional meeting in May 2008 to discuss further measures that
the organization can implement to better care for the sensitive areas of the ocean.
"Over the past year, our efforts at NAFO have achieved real results – fewer serious
citations on the water and a deepened commitment by all members to better manage
fish stocks and oceans ecosystems," said Minister Hearn. "The results of this year’s
NAFO meeting build on this record of achievement."
For additional information on NAFO outcomes please visit:
www.overfishing.gc.ca
or www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca
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FOR MORE INFORMATION:
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Geneviève Gareau-Lavoie
Media Relations
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Ottawa
613-990-7537 |
Steve Outhouse
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Ottawa
613-992-3474 |
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NR-HQ-07-50E |
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