Question Period Note: International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas

• Canada is committed to ensuring the sustainability of all fisheries managed by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas.

• In recent negotiations, Canada advocated for a western Atlantic Bluefin tuna catch level that presented the lowest probability of overfishing, based on the best available science advice.

• While the Commission decided on a less precautionary approach for 2021, fortunately, reaching an agreement – even at a catch level we did not support - ensured that there is a regulated fishery this year.

• This government will continue to advance science-based decision making, which is in the best interests of the stocks and the long-term economic opportunity for Canada’s fishing industry.

• The International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) is a 52 member regional fisheries management organization. Canada’s primary interest in ICCAT is the conservation and sustainable management of fisheries. The most significant of these fisheries for Canada are western Atlantic Bluefin tuna and North Atlantic swordfish.
• ICCAT’s annual meeting was cancelled in 2020 due to restrictions related to the global COVID-19 pandemic, and urgent decisions were made through a correspondence process from October 19, 2020 to January 11, 2021.
• In developing Canada’s positions for ICCAT, as well as throughout negotiations related to western Atlantic Bluefin tuna, First Nations, Canadian industry, provinces, and other relevant stakeholders are consulted extensively.

Western Bluefin Tuna
• In 2020, ICCAT’s scientific committee indicated that maintaining the 2020 total allowable catch of 2,350 t posed a 94 per cent probability of overfishing in 2021.
• Canada supported a lower total allowable catch (TAC) for 2021 of 1,785 t which the science advice put at a 42 per cent chance of overfishing this year. This precautionary approach was supported by some other ICCAT parties, including European Union, the United Kingdom, France (in respect of Saint Pierre et Miquelon) and Norway, and by environmental non-governmental organizations. However, some parties preferred maintaining the 2020 TAC of 2,350 t Notably, Canada’s industry representatives strongly supported the higher TAC.
• Negotiations resulted in an annual TAC of 2,350t for 2021 and an agreement to conduct a stock assessment in 2021 to provide advice for future year TACs. Canada opted not to block consensus on the measure despite the higher TAC, so as to avoid a situation with no agreed measure and an unregulated fishery, as well as to secure agreement on conducting a stock assessment.

None