Ottawa, 13 December 2011—The future availability of fish cannot be taken for granted, says Scott Vaughan, federal Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development, in a study tabled today in Parliament. The study identifies some of the key challenges and outlines principles related to a sustainable fishery, based on international experience.
“The decline in some major fish stocks in Canada highlights the need to better understand trends and to promote sustainable fisheries management,” said Mr. Vaughan. “Fisheries managers face a difficult combination of environmental, economic, social, and organizational challenges.”
The study notes that the sustainability of a fishery relies on developing, implementing, and evaluating fishery plans aimed at sustainability. Key practices include respecting ecological limits to protect future fish stocks and defining clear roles and responsibilities. It is also important to define and clearly communicate the social, economic, and ecological objectives of the fishery in order to guide the decisions and actions of all stakeholders.
This chapter is a study, not an audit report. As such, it is descriptive and does not assess the federal government’s current practices or performance.
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The chapter “A Study of Managing Fisheries for Sustainability” is available on the Office of the Auditor General of Canada website.
