Fishing: An Industry in Crisis Chapter 23

Introduction Commercial fishing in Canada takes places is three areas: East Coast along the Atlantic West Coast Pacific Freshwater inland lakes Historically, the fishing industry has been considered a renewable resource.

Canada exports more than 80% of our catch. Our most important markets: USA, Western Europe & Pacific Rim (particularly Japan) In 2004, fish exports were valued at $4.4billion

Category Description Examples Groundfish Fish that feed and are caught near the ocean floor. Cod, Pollock, haddock, halibut, redfish Pelagic Fish Fish that feed and are caught near the surface. Salmon, herring, mackerel, tuna, caplin Shellfish Mollusks and crustaceans. Shrimp, lobster, oyster, scallop, mussels

Methods of Fishing in Canada In Shore Off Shore small boats with limited gear, self-employed 85% of fishers but just 10% of fish day trips only, no trips during bad weather low income lobster, shrimp, clam, cod, and haddock large ships with variety of gear, company owned 15% of fishers but 90% of fish out for two weeks or more in any weather reasonable income harvest cod, sole, halibut, redfish, flounder

The East Coast Fishery continental shelf

Grand Banks Wide continental shelf with shallow areas (called fishing banks) allow sunlight to penetrate the bottom, creating ideal conditions for plankton which, in turn, attract fish.

For years there were no regulations over fishing the Grand Banks

The cold Labrador Current mixes with the warm waters of the Gulf Stream. The mixing and the shape of the ocean bottom lifts nutrients to the surface. These conditions create one of the richest fishing grounds in the world

The Collapse of the East Coast Fishery By the 1990s, most of the fish stock had declined dramatically. Canadian Government halted all fishing for cod and cut back the amount of ground fish that could be caught.

How does a region cope when its way of life is threatened?

Experts have suggested five major conditions for the collapse of the East Coast fishery: Overfishing Improved fishing technology Uncontrolled foreign fishing Destructive fishing practises Changes in natural conditions

Sustained yield management Use of renewable resource at a rate that allows the resource to renew itself. For example, the number of fish caught should not be greater than the number of fish reaching maturity

The West Coast Fishery Salmon is the most important catch. West Coast catch 400 times larger than the east coast Warm Alaska Current Cold California Current In 1994, one million fewer salmon arrived at the spawning ground in the inland waters of B.C.

Prawn Trap 2. Dive 3. Ground fish Bottom Longline 4. Shrimp Beam Trawl Commercial Fishing: Prawn Trap 2. Dive 3. Ground fish Bottom Longline 4. Shrimp Beam Trawl 5. Ground fish Otter Trawl 6. Midwater Trawl 7. Hook and Line8. Salmon Purse Seine 9. Midwater Salmon Gillnet 10. Pelagic Longline 11. Harpoon 12. Purse Seine

There are several possible reasons for the collapse of the West Coast salmon fishery Overfishing Canadian and American taking way too many fish between California and Alaska. Once over 100 processing plants in BC, today there are fewer than 10 Changes to the environment Global warming. Salmon prefer water below 7 degrees Lack of a Salmon Fishing Treaty No official agreement between Canada and USA on how many, what type and when fish can be caught

Freshwater Fishery (inland) 4% of the total catch 7000 seasonal jobs What landform regions are best for freshwater fishing?

Aquaculture The aquaculture industry employed more than 16,000 people. Canada's aquaculture industry is continuing to grow.

Department of Fishing & Oceans Canada --Videos Source: Statistics Canada

There are aquaculture operations in every Canadian province and in the Yukon Territory. Farmed fish can escape their pens and pose biological risks to wild populations.

Large releases of nitrogen, phosphorus, and fecal matter from farming fish damage the coastal environment. Questions have been raised about the nutrition, safety and taste of “farmed” fish.

Technology Example: In 1972: it took traditional seine boats 51 days to harvest their quota in the West Coast In 1994: it took less that four days for modern boats to fill their quota, even with an increased catch allowance!

Canada has an offshore limit that is 370 km (200miles) off its shores effectively pushed the foreign factory ships off many of the prime fishing and breeding grounds. Solutions? Quotas were also put in place by the government to reduce the amount of fish being caught

Canada’s Network of Marine Protected Areas