Opening Statement by the Ecology Action Centre

The Ecology Action Centre (EAC) thanks the Chair  and  NAFO  Secretariat  for  their  efforts  to  organize this  virtual  43rdAnnual Meeting of NAFO. We appreciate the opportunity to participate as observers in the deliberations and share our perspectives and we note the continuing difficult circumstances all participants are working under.  

Mi’kma’ki (Nova Scotia) - Yesterday, Canada’s Fisheries Minister announced the closure of the commercial and bait fisheries for both Atlantic mackerel and southern Gulf of St Lawrence spring spawning herring. This will impact thousands of coastal communities and fishers across Atlantic Canada and Quebec and was undoubtedly a difficult decision to make.