PRESS RELEASE: New report highlights pathways for improved fisheries monitoring in Atlantic Canada

Kjipuktuk/Halifax - A new report from Oceans North and the Ecology Action Centre highlights solutions to address inadequate monitoring in Atlantic Canada’s commercial fisheries.  

The at-sea monitoring program in Atlantic Canada has deteriorated over time. Currently, many fisheries in Atlantic Canada are inadequately monitored or not monitored at sea at all. Additionally, overall monitoring targets in Canada are often too low to meet international standards.

Inadequate monitoring can lead to undetected illegal fishing activity, incomplete data for fisheries management and unsustainable fishing, all which can jeopardize coastal livelihoods and the viability of the fishing industry.  

Based on research and interviews with stakeholders, the report proposes a hybrid approach to address monitoring challenges using a combination of both human at-sea observers (ASOs) and electronic monitoring (EM) tools. In a hybrid model, the function of ASOs would evolve alongside the expanded use of EM, with human observers deployed strategically to perform hands-on tasks while EM fulfills a fleet’s baseline coverage.

“Aside from a few cases where EM has been piloted, Canada’s monitoring programs rely heavily on an insufficient program of human observers who are hired to document fishing methods, bycatch and collect scientific information during commercial fishing trips,” says Holly Isnor, the Ecology Action Centre’s fisheries program manager and report co-author. “EM technology such as vessel tracking and video monitoring are ready for use in Canada. With the Federal budget set to be released on November 5, we need a commitment and investment from Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO).”

A key barrier to expanding EM and adopting a hybrid model is cost. The report outlines pathways to sustainable financing for an improved monitoring system, proposing cost-sharing options that distribute financial responsibility to both industry and government.  

“By failing to meet monitoring targets, Canada is not only losing out on important data that is needed to help inform management and science advice. We are also locking ourselves out of new, lucrative global markets where meeting and exceeding monitoring standards is rewarded,” explains John Couture, Oceans North’s senior fisheries advisor and a co-author of the report. “To address this, DFO must implement an affordable, coordinated hybrid monitoring system that strengthens ASO capacity, expands EM and closes persistent coverage gaps.”

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