Healthy and sustainable oceans are of critical importance to Canada and the world. They provide food to billions of people worldwide, and are a growing source of recreation and tourism. They sustain livelihoods and create good jobs and also serve as vital corridors for transportation and trade. The sustainable use of our oceans is an example of how protecting the environment and growing the economy go together.
The evidence is clear: Our oceans are at risk. Marine ecosystems are degrading, the oceans are warming, sea levels are rising, and our waters are acidifying. The United Nations has proclaimed a Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, beginning in 2021, to support efforts to reverse the cycle of decline in ocean health. This initiative coordinated and led by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO, will encourage partners from around the world to collaborate to advance ocean science and support the sustainable development of our oceans.
The impact that climate change has on the health and sustainability of our water resources threatens the livelihood and health of people around the world, especially people from Pacific islands countries and territories and Small Island Developing States. Ocean warming, acidification and sea-level rise put these coastal communities and their economies at risk.
The Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, will co-host of the Sustainable Blue Economy Conference in Nairobi, Kenya from November 26-28.
November 16, 2018 – Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada – Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada
The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) is a modernized North American free trade agreement that is good for Canada and good for Canadians. It is the result of Canada’s resolve at the negotiation table and our focus on getting the job done.
The Government of Canada is committed to protecting and restoring Canada’s aquatic species at risk. The solutions are wide ranging and require collaboration between the provinces and territories, industry and all Canadians.
Coastal communities across Canada are supported by small craft harbours that provide the commercial fishing industry with safe and accessible facilities. With approximately 44,000 Canadians employed in this sector, the Government of Canada is making investments to renew its network of small craft harbours and work with municipalities and other stakeholders where investments can enhance local communities.
On behalf of the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, Parliamentary Secretary and Member of Parliament for Charlottetown Sean Casey, today joined representatives of the Maliseet Nation Conservation Council with other agencies, organizations, Indigenous communities, and academics involved in the conservation and research of wild Atlantic salmon in order to launch the International Year of the Salmon in Eastern Canada.
The Government of Canada is supporting the development of well-trained, skilled personnel to serve the aerospace industry of the future, by donating surplus Coast Guard assets to educational institutions across Canada. These donations are helping to support aircraft maintenance training in Canada, providing practical and hands-on experience to students.
It is estimated that more than eight million metric tons of plastic end up in the oceans each year. These products never actually break down, except into smaller and smaller pieces that endanger marine life, pollute ecosystems and litter our beaches. Fishing nets and other fishing gear also contain several kinds of plastic, and abandoned, lost or otherwise discarded fishing gear causes catastrophic impacts on wildlife and marine environments. This “ghost gear” continues to entangle wildlife for many decades, impacting species at risk and the prosperity of our fisheries.
