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October 24, 2017

Canada’s fisheries are in trouble: the proof is in the numbers

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In case you haven’t been tracking fish populations and the state of Canada’s fisheries, you may have missed what’s been unfolding off the shores of Canada.

For many of us, how many fish are in the oceans and how sustainably managed the industries are that catch them are out of sight and, therefore, out of mind. But we can’t just keep our heads above water: it’s important to know what’s happening beneath the surface of our oceans. That’s why Oceana Canada has released Fishery Audit 2017, the most comprehensive review of the state of Canada’s fisheries and the first annual assessment of how the government is managing them. 
 
The results reveal that Canadian fisheries are in trouble: only one third of stocks are considered healthy and 13 per cent are in critical condition. Further, the health of 36 per cent can’t be determined because there is insufficient information to properly assess them. 
How healthy are canadas fisheries

Fisheries and Oceans Canada reports that there are 19 Canadian marine stocks in critical condition; however Oceana Canada found 26 in our independent analysis using the same sources. What’s more concerning is that there are only three plans in place to rebuild these 26 dangerously depleted populations.

The time to act is now, learn more by exploring FisheryAudit.ca and share the #FisheryAudit to help raise awareness. Together, we can rebuild fish populations; the health of the oceans and the future of Canada’s fisheries depend on it.