The proposed Regulations Amending the Fishery (General) Regulations authorized under the Fisheries Act and sponsored by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) aim to improve the management, conservation, and protection of Canadian fisheries resources and fish habitats. Specifically, the proposed regulations seek to prescribe 65 major fish stocks to Schedule IX of the Fishery (General) Regulations, making them subject to sections 6.1 and 6.2 of the Fisheries Act.

The Fisheries Act was amended in 2019 to introduce the Fish Stocks provisions, comprising sections 6.1, 6.2, and 6.3. These provisions mandate the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans to implement measures that maintain major fish stocks at levels necessary for sustainability or above a specified threshold known as the limit reference point (LRP). The LRP denotes the stock level below which productivity is impaired.

Previously, on April 4, 2022, the regulations were modified to incorporate the Fish Stocks provisions. At that time, Schedule IX was established, designating 30 major fish stocks subject to the newly introduced sections of the Fisheries Act. Additionally, Part XIV was included to delineate the contents and timelines for developing rebuilding plans for stocks that have fallen below the LRP.

The DFO prescribes major fish stocks based on specific criteria. Eligible stocks must appear on the DFO’s Sustainability Survey for Fisheries, which tracks the implementation of sustainable fisheries policies. Each proposed stock must have an established LRP or a commitment to establish one, and there must be sufficient data to support effective management measures consistent with the Fish Stocks provisions.

The objective of the proposed regulations is to ensure that these major fish stocks are subject to the legislative requirements of sections 6.1 and 6.2 of the Fisheries Act. This includes implementing management measures to maintain the stocks at sustainable levels or above the LRP and developing rebuilding plans for stocks that decline to or below the LRP.

The amendments will add 65 major fish stocks to Schedule IX of the regulations. Each stock will be described by its common name (e.g., Lobster in Lobster Fishing Area 22), scientific name (e.g., Homarus americanus), and the geographical area where the stock is located (e.g., Lobster Fishing Area (LFA) 22). The geographic descriptions will generally align with fishing areas defined in the Atlantic Fishery Regulations, 1985, or the Pacific Fishery Management Area Regulations, 2007.

Moreover, the geographic descriptions of four existing stocks—Chinook salmon (Okanagan), Coho salmon (Interior Fraser), Northern shrimp (Shrimp Fishing Area 6), and Yelloweye rockfish (Outside waters)—will be amended to correct errors or improve formatting consistency.

Canada (Proposed) October 12, 2024