1.2: International Governance
Develop options and a strategy to address overfishing, including on the Grand Banks, outside the Atlantic 200-mile limit by
working with European and other international partners to strengthen the international fisheries and oceans governance regime.
Other Information:
Overfishing, collapsing fish stocks and degradation of marine ecosystems is a global problem requiring a suite of measures
and approaches. This problem affects Canada most acutely on the Grand Banks, which straddles the limits of Canada's Exclusive
Economic Zone. Fisheries in this area are managed by the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO), a multilateral
organization that considers scientific information and sets quotas for its member states. Key issues have been vessels fishing
over the quota, fishing of stocks under a moratorium, and under-reporting of catch, all of which threaten the survival of
several species. Canada's focus on international policies, tools and governance will inform a strategy to address overfishing
and achieve effective international governance and protect oceans biodiversity. Canada has flag state, port state, market
state and, especially, coastal state rights and obligations to build on in this task on all three coasts, but these are of
particular concern on the east coast. The development of this strategy will be undertaken under the umbrella of the international
leadership pillar of the OAP.In the Spring of 2004, the Government of Canada took steps to strengthen surveillance and enforcement
in the NAFO Regulatory Area, including the increased presence of DFO fishery officers and CCG patrol ships at the 200-mile
limit. The government also committed to increase diplomatic interventions with the European Union and NAFO member states.Enhanced
surveillance and direct diplomatic intervention have shown results in terms of changed behaviour of the fishing fleet. However,
a long-term solution depends on the integration of management tools, economic incentives, and legal and policy frameworks
that together would form an effective governance regime for fisheries and oceans resources, including fragile ecosystems on
the high seas.Canada's ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in December 2003 strengthened
the credibility of Canada's voice on international oceans issues. UNCLOS adds further obligations, such as delimiting Canada's
outer continental shelf, which will require, among other things, new mapping technologies. Fulfilling Canada's mapping obligations
will require the assistance of the Canadian Hydrographic Service.The issues are complex and solutions, if they are to be effective,
will need to be bold and creative. This will enable protection of not only the Grand Banks, but other important ecosystems
in Canada's three oceans. More broadly, such reforms would benefit global oceans biodiversity, including fisheries resources,
and will contribute to the achievement of World Summit on Sustainable Development goals to which Canada is a signatory.
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