Atlantic Canada fisheries face monitoring and ghost gear challenges

A new report from Oceans North and the Ecology Action Centre highlights significant deficiencies in the monitoring of commercial fisheries in Atlantic Canada. The report notes that at-sea monitoring has deteriorated, leaving many fisheries inadequately monitored or entirely unmonitored. This lack of oversight can lead to undetected illegal fishing and incomplete data, potentially jeopardizing the sustainability of the industry and coastal livelihoods.

To address these issues, researchers propose a hybrid monitoring model. This approach would combine human at-sea observers with electronic monitoring (EM) tools, such as vessel tracking and video technology. The report calls for investment from Fisheries and Oceans Canada to implement this system and suggests cost-sharing models between the government and the industry to manage expenses.

Separately, new private-sector solutions are emerging to combat “ghost gear,” which refers to abandoned or lost fishing equipment like nets and traps. This gear causes significant environmental damage and financial loss to marine ecosystems. A new permitting pathway proposed by GHD allows for the removal of ghost gear to serve as an ecological offset for coastal development projects. A proof-of-concept project successfully used remotely operated underwater vehicles to retrieve abandoned lobster traps and rope, benefiting multiple marine species.