Latest news with #DFO
CBC
13 hours ago
- CBC
B.C. jet skier fined $5K for approaching dolphins too closely
Social Sharing Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) is reminding people that there are rules around approaching marine mammals after a man was fined $5,000 forgetting too close to a pod of dolphins. Stephen Michael White was fined last month after being found guilty in November 2024 of violating a section of the Marine Mammal Regulations. The incident took place in August 2022, in Broughton Strait near Port McNeill on Vancouver Island's northern coast, according to a media release from DFO. White was recorded speeding toward a pod of Pacific white-sided dolphins on his jet ski, coming within a few feet of the creatures while filming on his phone — much closer than the 100-metre legal approach distance. Witnesses immediately reported the incident. Evidence presented in court included images from White's own social media, as well as testimonies and images from witnesses. The court found his actions to be negligent and reckless, leading to a six-month ban from operating any motorized vessel on water. White is also prohibited from posting anything related to marine mammals to social media. DFO says the case's guilty verdict and court-ordered fine reinforces the rules' importance to prevent disturbances. Under the regulations, disturbances include approaching the animal to feed, swim, or interact with it; move it or cause it to move from the immediate area in which it is found; separate it from members of its group or go between it and its calf; trap it or its group between a vessel and the shore, or between a vessel and one or more other vessels; or approaching the animal to tag and mark it. Toothed-whale species, including dolphins and killer whales, use sound to navigate their environment, also called echolocation. The release says "close encounters with a vessel can disrupt their natural behaviours and interfere with essential sound signals used for communication, foraging, and socialization." DFO is reminding British Columbians and anyone taking to open waters this summer of legal approach distances: 400 metres from all killer whales in southern B.C. coastal waters. 200 metres from all killer whales in all other Canadian Pacific waters, and when a whale, dolphin or porpoise is in a resting position or with a calf. 100 metres away from other whales, porpoises, and dolphins. The restrictions apply to all motorized and self-propelled watercrafts, swimmers, and scuba divers — part of a host of protective measures designed to protect marine mammals in B.C. waters.
Cision Canada
16 hours ago
- Cision Canada
B.C. jet skier fined $5,000 for intentionally approaching marine mammals too closely Français
PORT HARDY, BC, June 19, 2025 /CNW/ - With the arrival of summer on Canada's west coast, residents and tourists are planning to be out on the water. Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) reminds everyone to follow the laws and guidelines about approaching marine mammals, which vary depending on the species. On May 22, 2025, in Campbell River Provincial Court, Stephen Michael White was fined $5,000 after being found guilty in November 2024 of violating Section 7(1) of the Marine Mammal Regulations. Mr. White was recorded speeding toward a pod of Pacific white-sided dolphins on his jet ski, coming within just a few feet while filming them on his cell phone – much closer than the 100 metre legal approach distance. The court determined his actions were negligent and reckless, leading to a six month ban from operating any motorized vessel on water. Additionally, Mr. White was prohibited from posting anything related with marine mammals on social media. Toothed whale species, including dolphins and killer whales, rely on echolocating – using sound to navigate their environment. Close encounters with a vessel can disrupt their natural behaviours and interfere with essential sound signals used for communication, foraging, and socialization. Such interactions also pose health and safety risks to both marine mammals and humans This case marks the first successful prosecution in Canada under the Marine Mammal Regulations' approach distance provisions. The guilty verdict and court-ordered fine reinforce the importance of following marine mammal approach distance regulations to prevent disturbances. DFO protects and conserves marine resources and enforces the Fisheries Act. As part of DFO's work to disrupt and prevent illegal activity, the Department asks the public for information on activities of this nature or any contravention of the Fisheries Act and regulations. Anyone with information can call the DFO Pacific Region's toll-free violation reporting line at 1-800-465-4336, or email the details to [email protected]. Quick Facts The incident occurred in Broughton Strait near Port McNeill on August 30, 2022, and was immediately reported to DFO's incident reporting line by witnesses. The evidence presented in Court included images from Mr. White's own social media posts, as well as testimonies and visuals from witnesses. Under the Marine Mammal Regulations the term "disturbing" includes approaching the marine mammal to: attempt to: feed, swim, or interact with it; move it or entice or cause it to move from the immediate vicinity in which it is found; separate it from members of its group or go between it and a calf; trap it or its group between a vessel and the shore or between a vessel and one or more other vessels; or tag or mark it. Approach distances are: 400m from all killer whales in southern BC Coastal waters; or 200m from killer whales in all other Canadian Pacific waters; 200m away when a whale, dolphin or porpoise is in a resting position or with a calf; and 100m away for other whales, porpoises and dolphins. These restrictions apply to all motorized and self-propelled watercrafts, swimmers, and scuba divers, and are part of a suite of protective measures designed to protect marine mammals in B.C. waters. Stay Connected SOURCE Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Pacific Region
CTV News
2 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
DFO increases total allowable catch for northern cod fishery
Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) announced an increase in the total allowable catch (TAC) in the northern cod commercial fishery. The TAC more than doubled from 18,000 tonnes to 38,000 tonnes under the new management plan. Recent data confirms northern cod has remained stable since 2017 and is 'at a higher level than previously understood from the 2024 assessment,' said a Wednesday news release. 'There are opportunities now to responsibly grow the industry and reflect on how we manage the food fishery,' said Minister of Fisheries Joanne Thompson. 'We often say that the world needs more Canada, but Canada also needs more Newfoundland and Labrador – and a stronger cod fishery will help make that happen." Commercial allocations for 2025-26 are as follows: 80 per cent is allocated to inshore harvesters including a new allocation for the inshore mobile gear fleet 10 per cent is allocated to Indigenous groups and special allocation 9.72 per cent is allocated to Canadian offshore fleets 0.28 per cent is allocated to mid shore fixed gear and mobile gear fleets The new management plan did not increase the TAC for capelin, a key food source for cod and other species. The TAC for capelin remains at 14,533 tonnes. The government will launch public consultations to inform future management decisions, said the release. The management plan includes new provisions for tour boat operators. Passengers can retain two groundfish per day under the new tagging system. 'Canada is a maritime nation, with more coastline than any country in the world, and the fishing industry plays a vital role in our economy and coastal communities,' said Minster Chrystia Freeland. 'Fisheries and Oceans Canada's new voluntary tagging pilot program empowers tour boat operators to support sustainable marine practices — advancing conservation and our Canadian economy.' Approximately five per cent of the TAC is allotted for Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization partners fishing outside Canada's exclusive economic zone.
Canada Standard
3 days ago
- Politics
- Canada Standard
'Making decisions closer to the wharf' can ensure the sustainability of Canada's fisheries and oceans
During the federal election campaign, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced that if elected, he would look into restructuring Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO). Carney stated that he understood the importance of DFO and of "making decisions closer to the wharf." Carney's statement was made in response to protesting fish harvesters in Newfoundland and Labrador who decried recent DFO decision-making for multiple fisheries, including Northern cod and snow crab. Although addressing industry concerns is important, any change to DFO decision-making must serve the broader public interest, which includes commitments to reconciliation and conserving biodiversity. Major reforms could fundamentally reshape fisheries science and management in Canada, yet most Canadians are unaware of how DFO's science-management process works, or why change might be needed. DFO has long been criticized for its dual mandate, which involves both supporting economic growth and conserving the environment. For organizations like DFO to be trusted by the public, they need to produce information and policies that are credible, relevant and legitimate. However, DFO's dual mandates have been viewed as antithetical and have at the least created a perceived conflict of interest. The issue at stake is how science advice from DFO can be considered independent, if it is also supposed to serve commercial interests. One solution to this problem would be to shift control over the economic viability of fisheries to provinces. This is not a radical idea by any means, as most of the economic value of the fishery arises after fish are brought to harbour. For example, licences to process groundfish like cod, haddock and halibut -which Nova Scotia has just announced will be opened for new entrants following decades of a moratorium - as well as policies governing the purchase of seafood already fall to provinces. In 2024, all 13 ministers from the Canadian Council of Fisheries and Aquaculture Ministers indicated a desire for "joint management" between provinces and DFO. This was driven driven by a concern that the department has not focused enough on provincial and territorial fisheries issues. This shouldn't be seen as a criticism of DFO, but rather an opportunity to embrace differentiated responsibility. DFO could maintain regulatory control for fisheries, like enforcing the Fisheries Act, defining licence conditions and performing long-term monitoring and assessments. As included in the modernized Fisheries Act, it could still consider the social and economic objectives in decision-making. DFO is structured into regions with their own science and management branches, but many decisions end up being made by staff at DFO headquarters in Ottawa. In addition, the federal fisheries minister retains ministerial discretion for almost every decision, something that has been criticized as being inequitable. During an interview with researchers looking into fisheries management policy, a regional manager stated that they no longer make decisions: "Because aversion, much more of the decision-making has now been bumped up to higher levels. So I like to facetiously state that I am no longer a manager, I am a recommender." Centralized decision-making can limit communication between regional scientists and managers and federal government policymakers. This communication gap can make it difficult for managers to use the latest science and adjust policies quickly and it can also lead to recommended policies that are challenging to implement at the local level. Handing management decision-making power to regional fisheries managers could therefore benefit science and policy, and contribute to decisions that are deemed more equitable by those impacted. Other countries use a regional management approach. In the United States, marine fisheries are managed by eight regional fishery management councils that use scientific advice from the National Marine Fisheries Service. Although not without their flaws, the successful rebuilding of overfished stocks in the U.S. has been attributed, in part, to the regional council system. Governance systems that have multiple but connected centres of decision-making are generally expected to be more participatory, flexible to respond to changes and have improved spatial fit between knowledge and policy actions. This type of approach could shift the focus of Ottawa-based managers and the fisheries minister to ensuring national consistency. Canada's current methods for inclusion of social and economic considerations are limited and have produced scientific advice that is not fully separable from rights holder and stakeholder input. Most of DFO's scientific peer-review process is focused on ecological science conducted by DFO scientists. The peer-review process often also involves rights holders and stakeholders. While Indigenous rights holders and community stakeholders may not be trained in the presented analyses, they often contribute to these meetings by describing their knowledge and experiences. However, because the meetings are focused on DFO ecological science, they are not designed to formally consider stakeholder and rights holder knowledge. This can lead to two key issues. First, it may blur the line between peer-reviewed science and rights holder and stakeholder input, reducing the credibility of the scientific advice. Second, the valuable information provided by rights holders and stakeholders may be overlooked since it is not shared in a setting designed to incorporate it. The lack of review of alternative Indigenous knowledge sources and social and economic science during peer-review processes inherently limits the advice that can be provided. It suggests that the government is not benefiting from the opportunity to incorporate diverse knowledge bases. These problems could be addressed by developing procedures through which stakeholders and rights holders contribute their local and traditional knowledge to better inform ecological and socio-economic considerations. By increasing the number of peer-review platforms, rights holder and stakeholder input could be reviewed similarly to ecological science. This change would likely increase the credibility, legitimacy and salience of information used to inform fishery managers. Regardless of how rights holders and stakeholders perspectives are included, the process should be clearly structured and documented. By reconsidering DFO's mandate, decentralizing management decision-making and improving the scientific consideration of varied forms of knowledge, DFO could make decisions that are closer to the wharf.
Cision Canada
4 days ago
- Business
- Cision Canada
Fisheries and Oceans Canada announces details for second year of commercial Redfish fishery Français
OTTAWA, ON, June 16, 2025 /CNW/ - Balancing economic growth with sustainable fisheries is essential to protect our marine resources and secure a strong future for the fishing industry and coastal communities. Today, the Minister of Fisheries, the Honourable Joanne Thompson, announced details for the Unit 1 commercial Redfish fishery for 2025-2026. This fishery was under a moratorium from 1995 until 2024, when the Government of Canada re-opened it following the significant rebound in the stock's population. Following consultations with the Redfish Advisory Committee (RAC) and an assessment of the most recent scientific information, the total allowable catch (TAC) for Unit 1 Redfish in 2025-2026 will be 60,000 tonnes. These allocations took into consideration views shared by industry stakeholders, Indigenous communities and organizations, provincial partners and others, alongside socio-economic factors, and provides harvesting opportunities while respecting conservation. Information gathered from the first two years of this fishery will support the long-term development of a sustainable Redfish fishery, and the government will continue to adjust fishing management measures as required and in consultation with stakeholders. DFO is committed to creating economic opportunities for Canadians without compromising on our protection of Canada's coasts, waterways and fisheries for future generations. Quotes "Commercial fisheries play a critical role in the livelihood of many Canadians, and fishing is part of the social fabric of Atlantic Canada. As part of the Government's plans to keep the Canadian economy strong, we will continue to work with stakeholders to increase the prosperity of the Redfish fishery, while respecting and enforcing conservation objectives." The Honourable Joanne Thompson, Minister of Fisheries Quick Facts The commercial fishery will open on June 24, 2025. Opening dates may vary following consultations with individual fleets. Of the 60,000-tonne TAC, 50,000 tonnes will be shared based on the approach announced on January 26, 2024, which includes 14.8% to inshore harvesters, 5.7% to midshore harvesters, 58.7% to offshore harvesters. As part of the Government of Canada's commitment to reconciliation, 10% of the TAC will be allocated to Indigenous communities and 10% to Estuary and Gulf of St. Lawrence shrimp harvesters who are negatively affected by the declining shrimp fishery. An additional 7,000 tonnes could be made available to harvesters who have fished at least 75% of their quotas. An additional 3,000 tonnes will used to support experimental fishing projects to collect data to support fisheries management decisions. In response to stakeholder concerns and low catch rates during the 2024-25 season, DFO has adjusted certain fishing management measures for the 2025-2026 season: Fishing will be authorized in NAFO divisions 4RST for the entire length of the fishing season, from June 24 to March 31, and in NAFO subdivisions 3Pn and 4Vn from January 1 to March 31. Fishing with all types of otter trawl, including bottom trawl, will be authorized during the 2025-26 fishing season. Fishing will be authorized at shallower depths in summer than during the 2024-25 season. Bycatch limits will be maintained and closely monitored to protect other groundfish stocks from unwanted fishing and ensure sustainable fishing practices and conservation objectives are upheld. At-sea observer requirements will be reduced compared to last season, focusing on the highest risk period for bycatch, with 100% coverage required from January 1 to March 31. There are two key species of Redfish in Atlantic the Gulf of St. Lawrence: Sebastes mentella and Sebastes fasciatus. S. mentella lives in deeper waters, while S. fasciatus is found in shallower areas Stay Connected
