The Atlantic Ocean provides Canadians with food, jobs, energy, and recreation. Its ecosystems and resources are vitally important to our economy, environment and cultures. That’s why Canada proudly collaborates with likeminded countries to take coordinated action to study the Atlantic Ocean and find ocean-based science solutions to help protect it.
Ottawa, Ontario – The Honourable Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans, and the Canadian Coast Guard, today announced that she will be travelling to the United States from March 2 to 12, 2024, where she will meet with key stakeholders and U.S. government officials to promote Canada’s sustainable seafood, protect oceans and ocean life, and support clean growth in our ocean economy.
Aquatic invasive species are harmful to Canada’s aquatic plants, animals and habitats. They can cause great economic strain and permanent damage to the aquatic ecosystems and species that Canadians depend on for food, jobs, and culture. The Government of Canada is committed to taking a science-based approach to prevent the introduction, establishment, and spread of aquatic invasive species.
The Government of Canada is committed to promoting the use of clean technologies as a key strategy to safeguard the environment and foster economic growth.
The development and expansion of renewable energy can be key to advancing Canada’s climate objectives, and the powerful tides of the Bay of Fundy on Canada’s east coast provide an excellent opportunity to source renewable energy. The Bay of Fundy is also home to diverse marine species that are of economic, social and cultural importance to Indigenous and coastal communities, including aquatic species at risk. Therefore, tidal energy projects must be carried out in a way that is consistent with the protection of aquatic species and their habitat.
On January 31, 2024, sentencing was handed down to the vessel master of the commercial prawn fishing vessel Darkstar, after a long-running court case.
The Honourable Judge S.M. Merrick sentenced the individual to pay a fine of $250,000 and forfeit all gear seized (with an approximate value of $80,000) after previously finding him guilty on May 24, 2023, of a total of 13 violations of Canada’s Fisheries Act.
Pacific salmon hold tremendous value for natural ecosystems, cultural and spiritual practices, jobs and income, and recreational enjoyment along the coast and inland watersheds of British Columbia.
Richmond, BC - A routine inspection of commercial seafood processing plants by Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) fishery officers in January 2023 resulted in a fine of $40,000. On December 6, 2023, Tenshi Seafood Limited was handed down the fine in Richmond Provincial Court after pleading guilty to the possession of undersize crabs by a commercial business, which is a violation of Canada’s Fisheries Act.
As a result of an investigation by Fishery Officers with Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), an individual from the Belleville, Ontario area was recently sentenced in the Ontario Court of Justice for violations of the Fisheries Act.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) is committed to preventing the introduction, establishment, and spread of aquatic invasive species, including Zebra and Quagga Mussels. In May 2023, DFO announced $8.75 million in contribution funding over five years as part of the newly created Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention Fund (AISPF). The AISPF funds eligible organizations and projects that focus on preventing the introduction and establishment of aquatic invasive species across Canada.