Canada considers Beaufort Sea fishing moratorium

Canadian officials are quietly exploring a possible moratorium on large-scale commercial fishing in the Beaufort Sea, a move that would match a decision announced last week by the U.S. government, Canwest News Service has learned.

The temporary U.S. ban imposed on Thursday by Commerce Secretary Gary Locke followed months of speculation about the possible opening of new fisheries north of Alaska, where warming waters and melting sea ice are expected to encourage northward migrations or population spikes of some commercially valuable species of fish, shellfish and marine mammals.

But lingering uncertainties about the long-term impact of climate change on the Arctic environment, and about the best strategies to sustainably exploit potential new fisheries in the region prompted the U.S. North Pacific Fishery Management Council to recommend earlier this year that industrial-scale harvests be banned pending further research.

Mr. Locke accepted that recommendation on Thursday, insisting that despite strong prospects for snow crab, Arctic cod and saffron cod fisheries, too little is known about fish stocks to sanction commercial operations.

"As Arctic sea ice recedes due to climate change, there is increasing interest in commercial fishing in Arctic waters," said Mr. Locke. "We are in a position to plan for sustainable fishing that does not damage the overall health of this fragile ecosystem. This plan takes a precautionary approach to any development of commercial fishing in an area where there has been none in the past."

The U.S. will continue to allow small-scale, subsistence fishing among its native populations -- as any moratorium in this country would, Canadian officials say.

In Canada, Beaufort Sea fishing is regulated by the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans in collaboration with six Inuit communities in the Western Arctic under terms of the 1984 Inuvialuit Final Agreement land claim.

Burton Ayles, a former DFO scientist who's now a federal appointee with the Inuvialuit region's Fisheries Joint Management Committee, told Canwest News Service that discussions have begun on "how we might proceed if we do want to have a commercial fisheries moratorium in the Canadian Beaufort."

Ayles said the same key factor behind the U.S. moratorium -- lack of knowledge about the changes happening to the Beaufort ecosystem -- is driving Canada's own discussions about a possible commercial fishing ban.

"I am personally concerned with climate change. I'm also concerned about what's happened with large-scale commercial fishing elsewhere in the world," said Ayles, one of two federal representatives on the FJMC, which also has two Inuvialuit appointees. "The world's management of fisheries - no disrespect to DFO - has been a disaster: failure after failure. We don't have enough knowledge about what is in the Arctic."

Small-scale commercial fisheries in Canada's Eastern Arctic were highlighted last week when Prime Minister Stephen Harper pledged federal funds to improve a Baffin Island harbour where Inuit dock with turbot catches.

But Mr. Ayles said the moratorium contemplated in the Beaufort Sea could permit similar small-scale fisheries as long as scientific research backs such harvests.

Putting industrial-scale commercial fisheries on hold in the Western Arctic has strong support from environmentalists. The U.S.-based PEW Environment Group, which recently launched an Oceans North campaign highlighting the risks to Arctic waters posed by climate change, has urged Canada to match the Obama administration's "historic" moratorium in the Beaufort.

Scott Highleyman, director of PEW's international Arctic program, told Canwest News Service that the group "supports the FJMC consideration of a moratorium in Canadian waters in the Beaufort as a way to respond to climate change, preserve future options for fisheries development by Inuvialuit communities when the time is right, and reinforce the rights of self-determination in the Inuvialuit Final Agreement."

A federal government spokesman said Monday that Canada "shares concerns with the U.S. on proper management of living marine resources in the Arctic and we are engaged in regular discussions with the U.S. on the best ways forward."

Responding to questions put to DFO and the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, DFAIT spokesman Alain Cacchione noted that: "Currently, commercial fishing in the Arctic Ocean has been limited by the distribution of fish stocks and short fishing seasons. In the Western Arctic, we are dealing with subsistence fisheries. Canada is committed to the modern management principles of ecosystem and precautionary approaches, which apply equally in the Arctic."

But Cacchione also said that despite the U.S. decision to close fishing in a wide swath of the Beaufort Sea, Canada may not choose to follow suit.

"Closures are only one tool for addressing sustainability risks," he said. "Other tools, such as exploratory fisheries protocols, area closures, etc., are risk-based yet compatible with sustainable use."


	Canada considers Beaufort Sea fishing moratorium
	National Post August 24 2009

	Canadian officials are quietly exploring a possible moratorium on large-scale commercial fishing in the Beaufort Sea, a move that would match a decision announced last week by the U.S. government, Canwest News Service has learned. The temporary U.S. ban imposed on Thursday by Commerce Secretary Gary Locke followed months of speculation about the possible opening of new fisheries north of Alaska, where warming waters and melting sea ice are expected to encourage northward migrations or population spikes of some commercially valuable species of fish, shellfish and marine mammals. But lingering uncertainties about the long-term impact of climate change on the Arctic environment, and about the best strategies to sustainably exploit potential new fisheries in the region prompted the U.S. North Pacific Fishery Management Council to recommend earlier this year that industrial-scale harvests be banned pending further research. Mr. Locke accepted that recommendation on Thursday, insisting that despite strong prospects for snow crab, Arctic cod and saffron cod fisheries, too little is known about fish stocks to sanction commercial operations. "As Arctic sea ice recedes due to climate change, there is increasing interest in commercial fishing in Arctic waters," said Mr. Locke. "We are in a position to plan for sustainable fishing that does not damage the overall health of this fragile ecosystem. This plan takes a precautionary approach to any development of commercial fishing in an area where there has been none in the past." The U.S. will continue to allow small-scale, subsistence fishing among its native populations -- as any moratorium in this country would, Canadian officials say. In Canada, Beaufort Sea fishing is regulated by the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans in collaboration with six Inuit communities in the Western Arctic under terms of the 1984 Inuvialuit Final Agreement land claim. Burton Ayles, a former DFO scientist who's now a federal appointee with the Inuvialuit region's Fisheries Joint Management Committee, told Canwest News Service that discussions have begun on "how we might proceed if we do want to have a commercial fisheries moratorium in the Canadian Beaufort." Ayles said the same key factor behind the U.S. moratorium -- lack of knowledge about the changes happening to the Beaufort ecosystem -- is driving Canada's own discussions about a possible commercial fishing ban. "I am personally concerned with climate change. I'm also concerned about what's happened with large-scale commercial fishing elsewhere in the world," said Ayles, one of two federal representatives on the FJMC, which also has two Inuvialuit appointees. "The world's management of fisheries - no disrespect to DFO - has been a disaster: failure after failure. We don't have enough knowledge about what is in the Arctic." Small-scale commercial fisheries in Canada's Eastern Arctic were highlighted last week when Prime Minister Stephen Harper pledged federal funds to improve a Baffin Island harbour where Inuit dock with turbot catches. But Mr. Ayles said the moratorium contemplated in the Beaufort Sea could permit similar small-scale fisheries as long as scientific research backs such harvests. Putting industrial-scale commercial fisheries on hold in the Western Arctic has strong support from environmentalists. The U.S.-based PEW Environment Group, which recently launched an Oceans North campaign highlighting the risks to Arctic waters posed by climate change, has urged Canada to match the Obama administration's "historic" moratorium in the Beaufort. Scott Highleyman, director of PEW's international Arctic program, told Canwest News Service that the group "supports the FJMC consideration of a moratorium in Canadian waters in the Beaufort as a way to respond to climate change, preserve future options for fisheries development by Inuvialuit communities when the time is right, and reinforce the rights of self-determination in the Inuvialuit Final Agreement." A federal government spokesman said Monday that Canada "shares concerns with the U.S. on proper management of living marine resources in the Arctic and we are engaged in regular discussions with the U.S. on the best ways forward." Responding to questions put to DFO and the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, DFAIT spokesman Alain Cacchione noted that: "Currently, commercial fishing in the Arctic Ocean has been limited by the distribution of fish stocks and short fishing seasons. In the Western Arctic, we are dealing with subsistence fisheries. Canada is committed to the modern management principles of ecosystem and precautionary approaches, which apply equally in the Arctic." But Cacchione also said that despite the U.S. decision to close fishing in a wide swath of the Beaufort Sea, Canada may not choose to follow suit. "Closures are only one tool for addressing sustainability risks," he said. "Other tools, such as exploratory fisheries protocols, area closures, etc., are risk-based yet compatible with sustainable use."