Fisheries and Aquaculture
December 11, 2009Province Calls on
Government of Canada to Follow Vote of Own Parliament
The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is
calling on the Government of Canada to follow the vote
of its own House of Commons and reject the amended
Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO)
convention. Last night the Canadian parliament voted in
favour of a motion to concur with the House of Commons
Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans. The
committee recommended that the Federal Government not
ratify the amendments. Unfortunately, the Government of
Canada is not obligated to follow the results of the
vote by its Members of Parliament on this important
matter.
"Clearly, there is a lot of opposition to these
amendments." said the Honourable Clyde Jackman, Minister
of Fisheries and Aquaculture. "The majority of Members
of Parliament are against the proposed changes to the
NAFO convention. As well, a Standing Committee of the
House of Commons has recommended that the Government of
Canada notify NAFO of its objections to the amended
convention."
Minister Jackman has spoken with the Honourable Gail
Shea, federal Minister of Fisheries and Oceans. The
views of the Provincial Government have been clearly
expressed on this matter. The Provincial Government has
made representation on this issue to the Federal
Government on a number of occasions, including two
letters from the Honourable Danny Williams, Premier of
Newfoundland and Labrador, to Prime Minister Harper. As
well, the former provincial Minister of Fisheries and
Aquaculture appeared before three committees of the
Government of Canada in Ottawa.
"Minister Shea advised me yesterday that the
Government of Canada intends to ratify the proposed
amendments to the NAFO Convention, regardless of the
vote on the report of the Standing Committee on
Fisheries and Oceans," said Minister Jackman. "Ignoring
the will of parliament in this case will be at the peril
of the fishing industry in Newfoundland and Labrador for
many years to come. Canadian control over fisheries
inside the 200-mile exclusive economic zone can be
compromised if these amendments proceed."
NAFO is an organization which has demonstrated a lack
of willingness to follow scientific advice and a clear
lack of commitment to fisheries conservation and
sustainable fisheries management. At this year�s NAFO
meeting in Bergen, Norway, NAFO members did not follow
recommendations of their own Scientific Council related
to a number of stocks, including Greenland halibut, 3M
cod, redfish and 3LNOP white hake and skate. At a
special meeting of NAFO in London, England, in November,
the organization decided against closing the Flemish Cap
fishery in NAFO area 3M, despite warnings from the NAFO
Scientific Council that the stock has collapsed and that
the fishery should be closed.
"Obviously, custodial management is the only viable
solution for proper protection of Canadian fish stocks,"
said Minister Jackman. "It will always be problematic
for Canada to have to vote with 11 other countries to
gain protection of fish stocks off our shores. Clearly,
the approach taken by the Federal Government in dealing
with NAFO is not working in the best interest of
Canadians. The Federal Government should reject these
amendments, which will erode Canadian sovereignty within
the 200-mile exclusive economic zone, and respect the
advice of its own Parliament and the recommendation of
its own committee."
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Media contact:
Lori Lee Oates
Director of Communications
Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture
709-729-3733, 690-8403
oatesll@gov.nl.ca
2009 12 11 2:20 p.m.