These challenges need to be addressed so that all Canadians can benefit from improved management of the Atlantic fisheries. Towards an improved management framework The purpose of this review is to establish a new policy framework that will form a strong new foundation for the management of the Atlantic fisheries. As its overall direction, DFO is proposing to provide stakeholders with a greater role in the management of fisheries resources. Conservation The challenge of fisheries management has been to balance short-term economic and social gains with resource conservation. Yet the economic success of the Atlantic fisheries and the well-being of the coastal communities that rely on them is intimately tied to the fate of the resources.
Sustainable use has to be the top priority.
Economic and social viability Fisheries management decisions strongly affect the viability of the fishing industry and coastal communities. Ideally, the Atlantic fisheries should be able to sustain strong coastal communities, providing jobs without sacrificing the efficiency needed to compete internationally. We need a more flexible means of addressing such issues. We need a fishing industry that is more self-reliant, less dependent on government intervention and more responsible for dealing with fluctuations in markets and resource abundance. Access and allocations Currently, the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans has the sole authority to grant access to fisheries resources in tidal waters.