Analysis of Ecological Impacts of Fishing Methods in Canada

A fishing vessel operating in the Northeastern Pacifc. (Photo: NOAA)

Fish stocks around the world face unprecedented pressure from fishing activities and increasing demand for fish products. Canada has historically been a fishing nation, with an abundance of species and biomass to sustain coastal communities. Since the 1950’s, industrial fishing methods have jeopardized commercial stocks and severely impacted coastal communities.

It is now recognized that many Canadian fisheries have been overexploited, but it is not widely agreed upon which conservation methods result in the recovery of fish stocks and fish habitat. Fisheries management that continues to focus on a single species model of maximum sustainable yield will have little success in protecting fish habitat, significantly reducing bycatch of commercial and non-commercial species, or maintaining ecosystem integrity.

Within this context, there is increasing recognition that how we fish impacts the marine ecosystem. To this end, the Ecology Action Centre (EAC) in Halifax, Nova Scotia, the Living Oceans Society (LOS) in Sointula, British Columbia, Marine Conservation Biology Institute (MCBI), USA, in conjunction with researchers at Memorial University, Newfoundland are embarking on a research project to assess the ecological impacts of a wide range of fishing gears, from bottom tending gears, mid water nets to pelagic fishing methods.

The project commenced in January 2007, and is expected to conclude by summer 2008. A similar project was completed in the United States in 2003 and received extensive support and acceptance from scientists, fishermen and managers. This project will include an extensive review of Canadian fisheries, a survey of the peer-reviewed scientific literature on fishing impacts, as well as a cross-sectoral workshop, where fisheries professionals, including fishermen, scientists and managers will assess fishing impacts.

As in the earlier study ecological impacts will be ranked according to their relative severity using the damage schedule approach. Levels of impact on habitat and bycatch will be assessed. As Canada moves beyond the single species management approach to explore ecosystem-based fisheries management this type of study provides an important opportunity to build consensus towards improved fisheries management.

Desired project outcomes include:

1. Improved understanding of the ecological impacts of different fishing methods;

2. Increased support for gear substitutions and transitions to sustainable fishing gear; and

3. Detailed information available for managers seeking to implement an ecosystem approach to fisheries.

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