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, Chins, Europe, Japan, and Hong Kong In 2012, fish exports were valued at $4.1billion

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 in 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

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.

The West Coast Collapse 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

West Coast Collapse continued 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

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!

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

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