Fishery officers in Canada have uncovered 25 serious violations of fisheries management measures as part of their work to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing in the North Pacific.
The annual Operation North Pacific Guard was conducted alongside counterparts from the United States, Korea and Japan, largely on board the US Coast Guard Cutter Bertholf.
Overall, 42 violations were detected, 25 of them serious, including the use of prohibited gear, failure to maintain catch records, improper vessel markings and illegal retention of salmon. Shark finning and waste dumping was also spotted by Canadian aircraft.
“Illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing undermines the international regulation and stewardship of keystone ocean species,” said The Honourable Joyce Murray, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard.
“It cheats millions of people living in coastal communities out of hard-earned income, and causes serious harm to our marine ecosystems.”
The operation is part of Canada’s larger role in helping to protect Canadian livelihoods, fish stocks and marine ecosystems by working with other countries and non-government organisations to address IUU fishing and better understand potential harms to migratory stocks such as Pacific salmon and tuna.
Operation North Pacific Guard was supported by Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s new Dash-8 patrol aircraft, aided by Global Fishing Watch, Canada’s Department of National Defence, US Coast Guard District 17 and Canada’s Marine Security Operations Centre.
