Canada's Oceans in Peril: Auditor General Critiques Fisheries and Oceans Management

Over nearly three decades, Fisheries and Oceans Canada has failed to lead an integrated approach to sustaining marine resources in the Pacific, Arctic, and Atlantic oceans, despite the Oceans Act coming into force in 1997. Climate change and increasing human activity are degrading marine ecosystems, threatening biodiversity globally. The Auditor General's report highlights the department's lack of progress in implementing an integrated ocean planning process, despite its importance in balancing environmental conservation with sustainable resource use. The report criticizes Fisheries and Oceans Canada for developing abstract ocean management plans that have not led to concrete actions.

Key Takeaways:

• The Oceans Act, established in 1997, requires an integrated approach to managing Canada's oceans, but Fisheries and Oceans Canada has made little progress in implementing this approach.
• The department has worked with partners in 5 priority regions to develop ocean management plans, but these plans were abstract and did not lead to concrete actions.
• Fisheries and Oceans Canada has led the development of marine spatial planning, a new integrated planning process, but has made little headway in developing these new plans.
• The audit noted that Canadians are still waiting for the implementation of integrated ocean planning, more than three decades after it was established in federal law.
• Mr. DeMarco, Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development, emphasized the importance of Fisheries and Oceans Canada delivering on its leadership responsibilities in the face of climate change and competing interests.

Statistics:

• 1997: The Oceans Act comes into force, establishing the principle of an integrated approach to managing Canada's oceans.
• 3 decades: The amount of time that has passed since the Oceans Act was established, with little progress made in implementing integrated ocean planning.
• 5 priority regions: The number of regions where Fisheries and Oceans Canada has worked with partners to develop abstract ocean management plans.
• 3: The oceans in the Pacific, Arctic, and Atlantic, where Fisheries and Oceans Canada has failed to lead an integrated approach to sustaining marine resources.

Sources:

• "Report of the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development," by Jerry V. DeMarco, on behalf of the Auditor General of Canada.