Latest news with #fishingregulations
CTV News
03-06-2025
- General
- CTV News
Northern Ont. police, MNR stop 500 vehicles, check for violations
The June 1 joint operation along Highway 527 included alcohol screenings and fish and wildlife inspections within the Unincorporated Territory of Thunder Bay. A few charges and several warnings were handed out in northwestern Ontario recently during a joint operation involving the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Ontario Provincial Police. The June 1 initiative along Highway 527 included alcohol screenings and fish and wildlife inspections within the Unincorporated Territory of Thunder Bay. MNROPP3 A few charges and several warnings were handed out in northwestern Ontario recently during a joint operation involving the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Ontario Provincial Police. (OPP photo) 'The goal of the joint enforcement initiative was to educate both local residents and visiting tourists on road and hunting safety, as well as fishing and hunting regulations,' police said. A total of 80 of the 500 drivers underwent alcohol testing and no impaired drivers were detected. MNROPP2 The June 1 joint operation along Highway 527 included alcohol screenings and fish and wildlife inspections within the Unincorporated Territory of Thunder Bay. (OPP photo) However, the MNR laid one charge for possessing an overlimit of fish. Officials also issued two warnings for taking aggregate without a permit, three warnings for failing to remove the plug from a boat and nine warnings were given for improperly skinned or packaged fish. 'Additionally, four black bears were inspected,' the release said. The OPP charged one driver for having a radar detector in their vehicle, a driver from Minnesota had a radar detector removed from his vehicle and a Thunder Bay driver was charged with driving while prohibited. His vehicle was impounded. MNROPP4 A few charges and several warnings were handed out in northwestern Ontario recently during a joint operation involving the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Ontario Provincial Police. (OPP photo) Police also issued several warnings, including one for possessing more than one licence, driving without a validation sticker on the licence plate, two warnings each for having an insecure load and not having a licence plate on a trailer.
Forbes
19-05-2025
- Science
- Forbes
Indian Ocean Tuna Commission Passes New Shark Rules — With One Big Exception
At the recent 29th session of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission held in La Réunion, countries finally adopted a suite of shark conservation measures after years of lobbying by environmental groups. These new rules, which aim to cut down on shark bycatch and regulate harmful fishing practices, represent a significant step forward. But for some species… it may not be enough. The IOTC regulates fisheries for tuna and other highly migratory species like swordfish across the Indian Ocean. Tuna and sharks often swim in the same waters, so fishing fleets frequently haul in sharks as bycatch (animals fishers do not want, cannot sell, or are not allowed to keep). In some cases, like with blue sharks (Prionace glauca), they are caught in such high numbers that conservationists argue they should be managed as target species instead; blue sharks make up over 60% of swordfish fishery catches in the region. Many of these sharks species are also intentionally caught for their fins, which are used in delicacies and traditional medicine in parts of Asia. The newly passed resolution now requires that all sharks be landed with their fins still naturally attached, closing a major loophole that allowed for shark finning at sea. Cutting off a shark's fins and discarding the rest of the body not only kills the shark, but makes it nearly impossible to track which species are being caught. The new rule allows some flexibility, such as tagging fins and carcasses and storing them separately, but starting in 2028, any party wanting to use an alternative method will need to justify it with evidence. This change, IOTC argues, is a win for both enforcement and science. Also adopted were stricter retention bans that prevent fishers from keeping certain shark species if they are caught. Oceanic whitetips (Carcharhinus longimanus) and thresher sharks (Alopias spp.) were already protected under such bans. Whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) will be added to that list starting in 2026, assuming the IOTC's scientific committee gives it the green light. Meanwhile, blue sharks will soon be managed under a formal system that includes catch limits and quotas, a first for the species in the Indian Ocean. With updated data showing they're not currently overfished, this preemptive approach aims to keep it that way. But the shortfin mako (Isurus oxyrinchus), already overfished and in danger of collapse, didn't receive the full protection that many hoped for. While there is now a partial retention ban, it applies only under specific conditions: if a mako is still alive when brought aboard, it must be released, but if it's dead (and if an observer or electronic monitoring system is on board) the vessel is allowed to keep it. Given that many makos are caught on wire traces, which virtually guarantee the shark won't survive the fight to the surface, critics say this rule is too weak to make a real difference. These wire traces are often made of steel and are used in longline fishing to prevent toothier fish (like sharks) from biting through the line. They also increase shark catchability (and at times, mortality). The IOTC has now restricted their use, but only in the area north of 20 degrees south latitude. That leaves much of the southern Indian Ocean, including key fishing zones for Spain and other EU countries, unaffected. Since EU fleets tend to fish in those southern waters and use electronic monitoring, they're allowed to keep dead makos while others are not. That discrepancy has drawn sharp criticism from conservation groups, who argue it undermines the intent of the ban and could keep mortality levels far too high for mako populations to recover. Scientific advice suggests mako mortality needs to drop by 60% to give the species a fighting chance. The current resolution likely won't achieve that, and some observers fear it could be too late already. Still, the IOTC considers the adoption of even a partial ban a success, though one unevenly shared. EU officials defended their position by pointing out that many developing coastal nations lack the resources to monitor their fleets as rigorously, leading to gaps in reporting. Without stronger commitments and better data, the path to true recovery for sharks like the shortfin mako remains uncertain.
Fast Company
09-05-2025
- Business
- Fast Company
Trump signed an order to deregulate the U.S. fishing industry. Here's what fishermen think about it
Virginia Olsen has pulled lobsters from Maine's chilly Atlantic waters for decades while watching threats to the state's lifeblood industry mount. Trade imbalances with Canada, tight regulations on fisheries and offshore wind farms towering like skyscrapers on open water pose three of those threats, said Olsen, part of the fifth generation in her family to make a living in the lobster trade. That's why she was encouraged last month when President Donald Trump signed an executive order that promises to restore American fisheries to their former glory. The order promises to shred fishing regulations, and Olsen said that will allow fishermen to do what they do best — fish. That will make a huge difference in communities like her home of Stonington, the busiest lobster fishing port in the country, Olsen said. It's a tiny island town of winding streets, swooping gulls and mansard roof houses with an economy almost entirely dependent on commercial fishing, some three hours up the coast from Portland, Maine's biggest city. Olsen knows firsthand how much has changed over the years. Hundreds of fish and shellfish populations globally have dwindled to dangerously low levels, alarming scientists and prompting the restrictions and catch limits that Trump's order could wash away with the stroke of a pen. But she's heartened that the livelihoods of people who work the traps and cast the nets have become a priority in faraway places where they often felt their voices weren't heard. 'I do think it's time to have the conversation on what regulations that the industry does need. We're fishing different than we did 100 years ago,' she said. 'If everything is being looked at, we should be looking at the regulations within the fishing industry.' A question of sustainability and competitiveness But if fishing and lobstering interests finally have a seat at the table, the questions become how much seafood can be served there — and for how long. Trump's April 17 order, called 'Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness,' promises an overhaul of the way America fishes, and cites a national seafood trade deficit of more than $20 billion as the reason to do it. The order calls on the federal government to reduce the regulatory burden on fishermen by later this month. It arrives at a time when conservation groups and many marine scientists say the ocean needs more regulation, not less. One oft-cited 2020 study led by a scientist at the University of British Columbia looked at more than 1,300 fish and invertebrate populations and found that 82% were below levels that can produce maximum sustainable yields. The university said the study 'discovered global declines, some severe, of many popularly consumed species.' Trump's order prioritizes commerce over conservation. It also calls for the development of a comprehensive seafood trade strategy and a review of existing marine monuments, which are underwater protected zones, to see if any should be opened for fishing. At least one, the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument, has already been reopened. Many commercial fishermen and fishing trade groups lauded the order. Members of the industry, one of the oldest in the country, have long made the case that heavy regulations — many intended to protect the health of fish populations — leave the U.S. at a competitive disadvantage to the fleets of countries that don't bear the same kind of burden. That disadvantage is a big piece of why America imports more than two-thirds of its seafood, they argue. 'The president's executive order recognizes the challenges our fishing families and communities face, and we appreciate the commitment to reduce burdensome regulations and strengthen the competitiveness of American seafood,' said Patrice McCarron, executive director of the Maine Lobstermen's Association. Some fishermen, including Maine lobsterman Don McHenan, said they're looking forward to members of the industry being able to fish in areas of the ocean that have been closed off to them for years. McHenan said he's also hopeful the pace of new regulations will slow. 'As long as they don't put any more onto us,' McHenan said. 'We'll see — time will tell.' Not all fishermen are on board But the support for deregulation is not unanimous among fishermen. Some say strong conservation laws are critical to protecting species that fishermen rely on to make a living. In Alaska, for example, Matt Wiebe said the executive order 'terrifies' him. A commercial fisherman with more than 50 years of experience fishing for salmon, he said the order could potentially harm the Bristol Bay sockeye salmon fishery, which has received praise from sustainability organizations for careful management of the fish supply. Absent that management, he said the world's largest sockeye salmon fishery could go the way of the New England cod fishing business, which collapsed due in large part to overfishing and has never recovered. 'Since New England fishers lost their cod fishery due to overfishing, many other fisheries came to respect and depend on conservation efforts,' Wiebe said. 'We fish because it's what we do, and conservation efforts mean we and our kids can fish into the future.' The executive order arrived at a time when America's commercial fishermen are coping with environmental challenges and the decline of some once-marketable species. Maine's historic shrimp fishery shuttered more than a decade ago, California's salmon industry is struggling through closures and the number of fish stocks on the federal overfished list has grown in recent years. There is also the looming question of what Trump's trade war with major seafood producers such as Canada and China will mean for the U.S. industry — not to mention American consumers. To many in Maine's lobster and fishing business, the answer is clear: Cut regulations and let them do their thing. 'We definitely feel the industry is over-regulated as a whole,' said Dustin Delano, a fourth-generation Maine lobsterman who is also chief operating officer of the New England Fishermen's Stewardship Association. 'We hope that this will help for sure. It does seek to initiate that America-first strategy in the fishery.'
The Independent
09-05-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Fishermen battling with changing oceans chart new course after Trump's push to deregulate
Virginia Olsen has pulled lobsters from Maine's chilly Atlantic waters for decades while watching threats to the state's lifeblood industry mount. Trade imbalances with Canada, tight regulations on fisheries and offshore wind farms towering like skyscrapers on open water pose three of those threats, said Olsen, part of the fifth generation in her family to make a living in the lobster trade. That's why she was encouraged last month when President Donald Trump signed an executive order that promises to restore American fisheries to their former glory. The order promises to shred fishing regulations, and Olsen said that will allow fishermen to do what they do best — fish. That will make a huge difference in communities like her home of Stonington, the busiest lobster fishing port in the country, Olsen said. It's a tiny island town of winding streets, swooping gulls and mansard roof houses with an economy almost entirely dependent on commercial fishing, some three hours up the coast from Portland, Maine's biggest city. Olsen knows firsthand how much has changed over the years. Hundreds of fish and shellfish populations globally have dwindled to dangerously low levels, alarming scientists and prompting the restrictions and catch limits that Trump's order could wash away with the stroke of a pen. But she's heartened that the livelihoods of people who work the traps and cast the nets have become a priority in faraway places where they often felt their voices weren't heard. 'I do think it's time to have the conversation on what regulations that the industry does need. We're fishing different than we did 100 years ago," she said. 'If everything is being looked at, we should be looking at the regulations within the fishing industry.' A question of sustainability and competitiveness But if fishing and lobstering interests finally have a seat at the table, the questions become how much seafood can be served there — and for how long. Trump's April 17 order, called 'Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness,' promises an overhaul of the way America fishes, and cites a national seafood trade deficit of more than $20 billion as the reason to do it. The order calls on the federal government to reduce the regulatory burden on fishermen by later this month. It arrives at a time when conservation groups and many marine scientists say the ocean needs more regulation, not less. One oft-cited 2020 study led by a scientist at the University of British Columbia looked at more than 1,300 fish and invertebrate populations and found that 82% were below levels that can produce maximum sustainable yields. The university said the study 'discovered global declines, some severe, of many popularly consumed species.' Trump's order prioritizes commerce over conservation. It also calls for the development of a comprehensive seafood trade strategy and a review of existing marine monuments, which are underwater protected zones, to see if any should be opened for fishing. At least one, the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument, has already been reopened. Many commercial fishermen and fishing trade groups lauded the order. Members of the industry, one of the oldest in the country, have long made the case that heavy regulations — many intended to protect the health of fish populations — leave the U.S. at a competitive disadvantage to the fleets of countries that don't bear the same kind of burden. That disadvantage is a big piece of why America imports more than two-thirds of its seafood, they argue. 'The president's executive order recognizes the challenges our fishing families and communities face, and we appreciate the commitment to reduce burdensome regulations and strengthen the competitiveness of American seafood,' said Patrice McCarron, executive director of the Maine Lobstermen's Association. Some fishermen, including Maine lobsterman Don McHenan, said they're looking forward to members of the industry being able to fish in areas of the ocean that have been closed off to them for years. McHenan said he's also hopeful the pace of new regulations will slow. 'As long as they don't put any more onto us,' McHenan said. 'We'll see — time will tell.' Not all fishermen are on board But the support for deregulation is not unanimous among fishermen. Some say strong conservation laws are critical to protecting species that fishermen rely on to make a living. In Alaska, for example, Matt Wiebe said the executive order 'terrifies' him. A commercial fisherman with more than 50 years of experience fishing for salmon, he said the order could potentially harm the Bristol Bay sockeye salmon fishery, which has received praise from sustainability organizations for careful management of the fish supply. Absent that management, he said the world's largest sockeye salmon fishery could go the way of the New England cod fishing business, which collapsed due in large part to overfishing and has never recovered. 'Since New England fishers lost their cod fishery due to overfishing, many other fisheries came to respect and depend on conservation efforts,' Wiebe said. 'We fish because it's what we do, and conservation efforts mean we and our kids can fish into the future.' The executive order arrived at a time when America's commercial fishermen are coping with environmental challenges and the decline of some once-marketable species. Maine's historic shrimp fishery shuttered more than a decade ago, California's salmon industry is struggling through closures and the number of fish stocks on the federal overfished list has grown in recent years. There is also the looming question of what Trump's trade war with major seafood producers such as Canada and China will mean for the U.S. industry — not to mention American consumers. To many in Maine's lobster and fishing business, the answer is clear: Cut regulations and let them do their thing. 'We definitely feel the industry is over-regulated as a whole," said Dustin Delano, a fourth-generation Maine lobsterman who is also chief operating officer of the New England Fishermen's Stewardship Association. 'We hope that this will help for sure. It does seek to initiate that America-first strategy in the fishery.' ___
