Federal inaction must end
Ottawa - Friday, September 27, 2002 - by: David Jackson
turbot	At the recent Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) meetings, European countries voted to increase the amount of Turbot caught in international waters on the Grand Banks of Newfoundland. This smacks in the face of scientific evidence proving a decline in the resources available and hampers Canada‚s desire to cut the quota.
cod	Fish do not recognize lines and rules drawn on maps by men. Some men do not recognize these lines and rules either. Canada's 200 mile boundary does not cover the entire Grand Banks. This area is known as a prime reproduction area for Cod, Turbot, and other species of fish. A recent case found a Russian fishing trawler in a Canadian port with almost 50 tones of Cod on board, caught on the Grand Banks outside the 200 mile border. There is an international ban on the commercial fishing of Cod. Canadian authorities could not arrest and charge the Russian fishermen or cease the catch, according to NAFO, the home country has to impose the penalties.
action	The utter contempt for conservation shown by the European Union countries through NAFO proves that Federal Fisheries and Oceans Minister Robert Thibault must adopt a House of Commons committee report recommending the custodial management of the Grand Banks outside of 200 miles. Canada must also withdraw from NAFO, citing the continued ineffectiveness of the organization in implementing proper fisheries management.
one vessel	The Grand Banks is an area five times the size of New Brunswick. According to CBC Newfoundland, this area is currently patrolled by one Coast Guard vessel. Canada must unleash the full power of the Coast Guard and the Navy on the foreign fishing boats, imposing our sovereignty and conservation practices on the continental shelf. The fishery is to Atlantic Canada what wheat farming is to the Prairies. The continued inaction on the Federal and International scene must end.
	David Jackson
References:
	Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization web site
	Map of the area (PDF format 416K)
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