Small craft harbours are at the heart of Canada’s coastal communities. They play a vital role for the fisheries sector, while supporting tourism and safe access to waterways for everyone.
On the evening of May 15, 2024, fishery officers from Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), as well as border services officers from the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), seized approximately 109 kilograms of unauthorized elvers at Toronto Pearson International Airport. The elvers were destined to be shipped overseas.
The Government of Canada supports stronger and more collaborative federal science, to ensure scientists and researchers have access to the world-class facilities and tools they need to achieve scientific excellence and innovation.
In the context of climate change and the resulting warming of the oceans, it is more important than ever for the Government of Canada to be agile, and explore every new economic opportunity for the benefit of coastal communities.
The Grande-Entrée wharf is a key piece of infrastructure for the Magdalen Islands community. In recent years, its harbour has been experiencing major sedimentation issues.
From the Atlantic shores of Newfoundland and Labrador to the Arctic Ocean in Nunavut to the Pacific coast of British Columbia, small craft harbours are at the heart of Canada’s coastal communities. They are vital to fisheries sector, while supporting tourism and safe access to waterways for everyone.
Atlantic mackerel is an integral part of the ocean ecosystem and essential to the prosperity of fisheries across the region. The Government of Canada is taking decisive action to rebuild this stock, which has faced important declines over the last few years, so that the fisheries which rely upon on Atlantic mackerel can continue to thrive for generations to come.
Today, the Indigenous Coastal Waters Stewardship Society and the Honourable Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, announced $50 million in funding to support First Nations stewardship in the Salish Sea and waters along the west coast of Vancouver Island.
The Government of Canada is working hard to protect our oceans and the marine life they sustain. Lost, abandoned and discarded fishing gear, or ghost gear, is a significant source of plastic pollution that can stay in our water for hundreds of years, causing harm to marine mammals, fisheries, and habitats. Severe weather is one of the primary reasons for fishing gear loss, as was seen when Hurricane Fiona touched down in Eastern Canada in September 2022.
Small Craft Harbours play a vital role in the economies of our coastal communities, as many depend on them as a major source of employment. Ensuring these harbours stay in good working condition helps ensure our coastal communities can continue to thrive.