In partnership with fishers, harvesters, EcoTrust and the TBuck Suzuki Foundation and other supporters across Canada, Slow Food Vancouver Island & Gulf Islands and the Slow Fish campaign support this campaign.
The Canadian Government is managing our fisheries using policies that result in the privatization of access to fish resources. Catch shares, in one form or another, are now used as the principle means of managing commercial fisheries on the Pacific Coast, and individual transferable quotas (ITQs) are used in 60% of BC fisheries. The cost to purchase quota for Pacific commercial fish species has skyrocketed over the last 30 years due to concentrated ownership by a wealthy few. This has led to economic prosperity for a select few at the cost of many fishermen and coastal communities.
Further, citizens and local small businesses -- fishmongers, chefs, restaurateurs, etc -- can not access a good supply of local fish for their dinner tables and their customers. Currently 85% of Canadian seafood is exported while up to 93% of the seafood available to Canadians is imported. Canadian food security is in great danger when we are selling off access to one of our most important protein sources.
The Pacific commercial fisheries today continue to land a significant catch and a high dollar value. It is estimated that Pacific commercial fisheries land 129,670 tonnes of fish each year [source], worth a gross landed value of $356 million [source]. However, the number of boats and fish harvesters have decreased dramatically over the last thirty years, resulting in significant job loss and economic hardship for coastal communities. -- http://www.saveourbcfisheries.info
| Number of personal commercial fishing licences reflecting the number of fishing jobs in British Columbia, 1985-2015. |
This is our best chance yet at saving BC seafood from multi-national corporate ownership
and bringing attention to the plight of our fishing communities!
Please sign today & share widely.
- The petition will be delivered by hand to Justin Trudeau's office in Montreal. This will be a bilingual campaign, translations are happening now.
- We will also have letters available for you to send to your MP.
- For more information please visit this link.
Let's help put Canadian seafood on Canadian tables! Take action now >