Overfishing herring, other stocks in Gulf, Bay of Fundy, has critical impact on ocean health

Roughly a third of wild fish stocks in Canada are considered healthy, while the rest are in depleted states, according to a new report.  

The findings come from an annual fishery audit put together by Oceana Canada, a charity devoted to ocean conservation. The report also calls on the federal government to enforce its own laws and adopt policies to rebuild fish populations. 

There has been "inconsistent fisheries management, and this continues to stall the recovery of fish populations across Canada," said Rebecca Schijns, a fishery scientist with the group.

"There's a lack of political will and a lack of vision for what achieving healthy oceans means. And both come down to a lack of having a plan," she said. "We need to leverage the law, the policies, the science, and more collaboration in order to achieve these outcomes.

The report comes at the busiest time of year for people like Melanie Sonnenberg, general manager of the Grand Manan Fishermen's Association. The fall lobster fishery opened on Saturday, and she said she hasn't had a chance to review the report yet.

Amanda Johnson said she would like to have seen something in the report about "collaborative co-management with independent fish harvesters."

WATCH | 'Investment now is critical,' says report:

'We’re fishing without a plan,' scientist says

6 days ago

Duration 0:55

Rebecca Schijns, fishery scientist with Oceana Canada, says Canada needs to focus on rebuilding critically depleted fish stocks in order to have a sustainable industry.

Johnson is the executive director of Fundy North Fishermen's Association, which represents around 200 licence holders for lobster, scallop, groundfish and river fisheries. 

"The stakeholders in the fishery are both Indigenous and non-Indigenous fish harvesters, and we believe both have a place in governance of the fishery," she said.

As for the recommendations in the report itself, Johnson and Sonnenburg said they will need more time to review the report before issuing a response. 

Schijns said there are concerns around "reopening and increasing commercial cod fisheries and reopening redfish at very high levels where the law is not being consistently applied."

"Another really important species in the gulf and Bay of Fundy would be herring, and this is another essential forage fish that has a big fishery on it right now. And both of the stocks in the Gulf and in the Bay of Fundy need a plan to rebuild them."

CBC News requested an interview with Fisheries and Oceans Canada, but they declined. In a statement, department spokesperson Naomi Librach said they "welcome Oceana Canada's fisheries audit and will be reviewing the report's recommendations closely."

The statement went on to say the department is "committed to a precautionary and sustainable approach to fish harvesting that protects our precious marine ecosystems."

The New Brunswick Department of Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries also declined an interview request.  

In a statement, spokesperson Heather Pert said the provincial department "will need to review the report and see what it means for New Brunswick going forward," adding that they "will continue to work with New Brunswick's industry and collaborate with DFO to support sustainable fisheries."

Schijns said only 30 out of nearly 200 fish stocks are included in the Fisheries Act right now. They would like to see the protections under the Fisheries Act applied to all fish populations, which she said is an essential step in securing a more predictable fishery. 

She said by rebuilding the northern cod industry, it could "bring in five times more revenue and create 16 times more jobs," down the road. Rebuilding Atlantic mackerel and herring in the Bay of Fundy could also bring in millions of dollars more, she said. 

Schijns said these species need time to rebound and reproduce, and the current fishing pressures and warming oceans haven't allowed for that to happen. "Fish are really up against a number of barriers," she said, so "reducing fishing efforts in the short term, while allowing fishing on healthy stocks can really allow a more balanced and profitable portfolio of fisheries."

She said it would need to be a collaborative approach and everyone would need to trust the process. It could include compensation for fishers, or allocation to other stocks with similar gear types.

"There are solutions that can be allowed for the short term, while allowing those critically depleted stocks to rebuild."

She said if existing commitments were followed, we could see an increase in wild fish health from 35 per cent to around 80 per cent in 10 years.

"So the investment now is critical to set us up for long term success," she said.