The Honourable Herb Dhaliwal, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Canada and MP for Vancouver-South Burnaby, today released A Policy for Selective Fishing in Canada's Pacific Fisheries . The paper is the seventh in a series of papers from Fisheries and Oceans Canada and defines the policy for selective fishing in Canada s Pacific fisheries. It is the result of consultation with First Nations, recreational and commercial harvesters on a discussion paper released in May 1999 called Selective Fishing in Canada s Pacific Fisheries.
Selective fishing is a requisite element of conservation-based fisheries.
Selective fishing practices are an increasingly important element of Canada s fisheries, and are part of the long-term conservation strategy for rebuilding the resource and developing sustainable fisheries practices. The significant progress made by these groups to date is reflected in this policy which will guide the fishery of the future as we move forward into the implementation phase of selective fishing practices. Fisheries and Oceans Canada will continue to work with fish harvesters and anglers to set selective fishing standards and develop appropriate regulations to reduce bycatches in all fisheries. It will be the responsibility of fish harvesters to meet these standards by developing new fishing gear and practices. This document is the latest in a series that began in October 1998 with A New Direction for Canada s Pacific Salmon Fisheries.