Canada's vast marine ecosystems, once a vibrant tapestry of life, are now facing a severe ecological challenge. Overfishing, a relentless pursuit of profit, has decimated fish populations, disrupting delicate food chains and destabilizing entire marine ecosystems. Iconic species like cod and salmon, once abundant, have dwindled to mere shadows of their former selves, leaving behind a trail of ecological and economic devastation.
Compounding this ecological crisis is the systemic disregard for Indigenous knowledge that had been gathered over multiple centuries to protect marine ecosystems and promote sustainable practices. Indigenous communities have long relied on the ocean for sustenance and cultural identity and have developed intricate knowledge systems to ensure the health of marine resources. However, their invaluable insights have often been dismissed or ignored in favour of short-sighted, extractive approaches.
Killer Whale Photographed in Vancouver’s downtown by Jeff Wilson 2019
The consequences of this ecological breakdown are far-reaching. Coastal communities that depend on fishing for their livelihoods face economic hardship and social upheaval from many of the consequences of overfishing, such as the Cod Moratorium which put hundreds out of work due to declining cod populations. Marine biodiversity is eroding from heavy boat traffic, destructive fishing practices and overfishing, leading to the loss of unique species and habitats. The delicate balance of marine ecosystems is disrupted, with ripple effects that extend beyond the oceans. Moreover, the climate crisis exacerbates these challenges, as warming waters and ocean acidification further stress marine life and coastal communities.
To address this crisis, a fundamental shift is needed and some of it has already been done by the federal government and international legal bodies but there is more to be done. Sustainable fishing practices that respect ecological limits must be implemented further into Canadian legislation. Indigenous knowledge can tell us a great deal about the sustainable fishing practices we are missing as well as recognizing its invaluable role in ensuring the long-term health of marine ecosystems. Additionally, urgent action is required to mitigate climate change and protect coastal communities from its devastating impacts. By embracing sustainable practices, honouring Indigenous knowledge, and addressing the climate crisis, we can safeguard Canada's oceans for future generations.
Endangered Marine Life in Canada
Canada’s marine creatures face a range of threats that have placed them on the endangered list, with some species categorized from “special concern” to “extirpated” (locally extinct). The primary causes of this decline are boat pollution, overfishing, and climate change. Boat pollution introduces harmful chemicals and noise, disrupting marine ecosystems and threatening species’ health. While boats over the years have gotten significantly, more eco friendly, proper legislation is needed to regulate boat traffic, protect critically endangered areas and strictly enforce illegal dumping laws to ensure our waters are as clean as possible. Overfishing depletes populations faster than they can recover, while climate change alters habitats, affecting food availability and breeding conditions critical to their survival. While some over fishing comes from simply fishing more than a sustainable amount, a lot of overfishing comes through by-catching where fishing boats are careless about accidentally catching certain species of fish that they were not intending to catch. By not using carful targeted fishing, a lot of the marine ecosystem that is not directly targeted by commercial fishing gets caught in the process, and not properly recorded or regulated. These issues combined will pollution, climate change and other irresponsible fishing practices pose a real threat to Canada’s Marine ecosystems.
Notable NGOs like the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), World Wildlife Fund (WWF), and Oceana have set standards and advocated for sustainable resource extraction from the oceans to protect marine ecosystems. The MSC, for example, has developed certification guidelines for fisheries to ensure that fish stocks are harvested responsibly, with minimal environmental impact and sustainable management practices. The WWF works on improving supply chain transparency for ocean resources, pushing companies to source sustainably and reduce pressure on overexploited species and habitats. Oceana focuses on limiting harmful extraction methods like bottom trawling and deep-sea mining, and by-catching which can devastate ocean ecosystems through negligence. By promoting policies that prevent over-extraction and protect biodiversity, these NGOs aim to balance economic needs with the preservation of ocean resources.
Canada’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans works closely with many NGOs, including the ones listed above to ensure that resource extraction meets sustainable fishing requirements but there is always still more work to be done. The DFO works closely with the MSC to provide certification for fisheries that meet strict sustainability criteria helping Canadian operations gain access to eco-conscious global markets. WWF supports transparency in the supply chain, encouraging companies to source responsibly and protect overexploited marine species, efforts that Canada actively backs to reduce bycatch and preserve biodiversity. Additionally, Oceana collaborates with Canadian policymakers to limit environmentally harmful practices, like bottom trawling, in sensitive marine areas.
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Want to know more about bottom trawling and its risks? Learn more from the Marine Stewardship Council here!
Graph depicting bottom Trawling from the Marine Stewardship Council
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Though Canada is working closely with these organizations, they still have considerable criticisms of Canadian fishing management and have several suggestions on what could be improved upon to ensure a healthy ocean ecosystem. Oceana for example, has s[everal criticisms regarding Canada’s bycatch regulations](https://oceana.ca/en/press-releases/canadian-government-inadequately-addressing-one-biggest-threats-our/?_gl=1*1jodk98*_ga*MTQ5NjQ4MDgxLjE3MzExMDAxNTE.*_ga_F1PTGDFTVP*MTczMTEwMDE1MC4xLjAuMTczMTEwMDE1MS4wLjAuMA.._gcl_auMjAzMDcyNDUzNi4xNzMxMTAwMTUx*_ga_HT8KYEQFRHMTczMTEwMDE1MS4xLjEuMTczMTEwMDE4OC4wLjAuMA.._ga_05PMM8GBNZ*MTczMTEwMDE1MS4xLjAuMTczMTEwMDE1MS4wLjAuMA../) arguing that they are harmful for endangered species. The World Wildlife Fund criticizes Canada’s continued use of harmful fishing practices like bottom trawling, which essentially scrapes the bottom of the ocean floor destroying ecosystems. While Canada has banned this practice within the one coral reef in the Pacific, WWF argues that these kind of practices are harmful everywhere. Canada’s negligence toward bycatch consequences and practices like bottom trawling reflects a prioritization of efficiency over sustainability in its fisheries. While these methods allow for higher yields, they have also placed several species at serious risk of disappearing from our waters—an outcome Indigenous populations have warned settler fisheries about for centuries.
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Oceana has great sources to understand by-catching and its harm to Canada’s ecosystem here! Jn
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Many stakeholders in the fishing industry have concerns about what these new environmental regulations will do to their own businesses. Many fishers in the North West Territories are concerned that the government is being too overbearing on this issue, and are limiting the ability for local Canadians to make their livelihoods.
While the conservation of our planet should be first priority, the federal government has been slow on implementing changes due to careful consideration about not destroying the livelihoods of Canadians. So, it is clear that much work must be done with balancing important environmental protections while not economically destroying the fishing industry either.