 |
||||||||||
 |
|
|
|
|
||||||
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
|
|
|
|
|||||||
|
|
||||||||||
SUBJECTS
THE INTERNATIONAL PLAN OF ACTION FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF FISHING CAPACITY
CANADA AND THE INTERNATIONAL PLAN OF ACTION FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF FISHING CAPACITY
Over the past decade, Canada has made considerable progress in managing its domestic fishing capacity. This progress has been achieved through such measures as limited-entry licensing, area licensing and licence stacking, licence-retirement programs, early retirement programs for fishery workers displaced by restructuring in the industry, community adjustment and regional economic development programs in coastal areas, and industry self-rationalization. Other initiatives, such as the industry-led Code of Conduct for Responsible Fishing Operations, have also helped to ensure the conservation and sustainability of Canada’s domestic fishery resources.
Beyond Canada’s exclusive economic zone, however, there is a clear need for countries to work together to manage global fishing capacity and help ensure the conservation and sustainability of the world’s fishery resources. Recognizing the need for concerted international action, Canada has pledged to be among the first countries to carry out its portion of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) International Plan of Action for the Management of Fishing Capacity (IPOA).
What is the IPOA?
The IPOA is a voluntary initiative that calls for countries and regional fisheries organizations to achieve the efficient, equitable, and transparent management of fishing capacity worldwide, preferably by 2003, but not later than 2005. The IPOA also calls upon countries to support the establishment by FAO of an international record of fishing vessels operating in the high seas. The objectives of the IPOA are to be achieved in four phases over the next several years:
Phase 1: conduct national, regional, and global assessments of fishing capacity;
Phase 2: identify fisheries, if any, that may require urgent measures to address imbalances between fishing capacity and available resources;
Phase 3: if necessary, develop national plans to manage fishing capacity, giving particular attention to fisheries that may require urgent measures; and,
Phase 4: conduct ongoing, periodic assessments and diagnoses of fishing capacity and take measures, or adjust existing measures, as may be deemed necessary.
As a first step, the IPOA calls upon countries to conduct preliminary assessments of the capacity situation in their respective principal domestic fleets/fisheries. These assessments would help identify those fleets/fisheries where fishing capacity may pose a threat to the sustainability of the resource. For these fleets/fisheries, a more comprehensive analysis of fishing capacity — including biological, social, and economic considerations — would be required in order to develop a plan for ensuring that existing fishing capacity does not compromise sustainability.
What does the IPOA mean for Canada’s fleets and fisheries?
Canada is already in a good position to be among the first countries to meet
its commitment to the IPOA without necessarily having to undertake any major new
initiatives. This is because — as called for in the IPOA — Canada has
already put procedures in place to ensure the sustainability of fishery
resources. These procedures include effort and output controls as well as
capacity-reducing measures such as various forms of licence limitation, licence-retirement
programs, industry
self-rationalization, and helping displaced fishers adjust to life outside the
fishery.
Canada is also at the forefront of efforts to adopt the precautionary
approach, selective fishing methods, and integrated fisheries management, and
was the first country to develop a national
Code of Conduct for Responsible Fishing Operations, an industry-led initiative
to adopt practices that meet conservation objectives in various fisheries.
Because Canada is already moving towards more responsible fishing through co-management and partnership with the fishing industry, these new IPOA capacity assessments would not add another layer of control, but rather give Canada another useful guide that can provide a preliminary indication of fishing capacity relative to the level of fishery resources for all stakeholders.
Where is Canada in the development of its Plan of Action?
With the co-operation and support of provinces and territories, through the Canadian Council of Fisheries and Aquaculture Ministers Task Group on Capacity Management, the federal government has now begun the task of conducting preliminary capacity assessments in principal Canadian fleets/fisheries, using an internationally accepted methodology. Capacity assessment is a complex task that requires many different considerations being taken into account. Some of these considerations include historical participation and harvests in the fishery, management tools that are used to ensure sustainable use of fish stocks, capacity-reduction measures that have been undertaken in the past, and the ability of the industry to self-adjust over time.
Canada recognizes the value of conducting assessments of the global capacity situation, but also recognizes the practical limitations of these assessments. A "true" assessment of fishing capacity may not be attainable because of diverse views on what constitutes fishing capacity and the lack of comprehensive or appropriate data for all fleets/fisheries. Much work remains to be done at both the national and international level in order to ensure that capacity assessments are as comprehensive as possible.
It is important to keep in perspective that capacity assessments cannot pretend to be comprehensive, but they can signal a need for further investigation should warning signs emerge.
With these considerations in mind, stakeholder consultation will be an essential part of the process leading up to Canada’s fulfilment of its IPOA commitment. Consultation will occur in three stages over the coming years. This background document is only the first stage, which is aimed at engaging stakeholders on the IPOA. In the second stage, the federal government, in collaboration with the provinces and territories, will prepare preliminary capacity assessments and will initiate consultations with stakeholders on these assessments.
The objective of these consultations will be to validate our interpretation of the preliminary capacity assessment results and to incorporate any other relevant information suggested by stakeholders. Finally, the third stage of consultation could be aimed at building an understanding of how to address any capacity imbalances that may be identified.
For more information on this initiative, you are invited to visit our web site at www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/Conservation_e.htm. If you have comments or questions, call us at (613) 993-1875 or email us at ipoa-pai@dfo-mpo.gc.ca.
JULY 2001
