Fin of a shark
Adobe Stock
The North Pacific Guard Operation (Op.NPG) mission, led by Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) fishery officers and supported by personnel from the Canadian Coast Guard, has found illegally harvested shark fins during a closed season, unreported catch, and cases of marine pollution.
The fishery officers and crew of the Canadian Coast Guard Ship (CCGS) Sir Wilfrid Laurier returned to Victoria, B.C. port, after detecting illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing in the North Pacific.
In addition to personnel from the Canadian Coast Guard, the mission included high-seas patrols, aerial surveillance, and satellite monitoring. Finally, the United States Coast Guard and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) also participated.
After inspecting 15 fishing vessels, the DFO detected several ships with their monitoring systems switched off, commonly known as "dark vessels".
Thanks to the boardings, Canadian officers enforced for the first time the newly adopted ban on Pacific salmon retention, which has been in effect for North Pacific fishing fleets since July.
During the past summer, the DFO, with the help of fishery officers from Japan and South Korea, conducted aerial surveillance over 50,419 nautical miles during 34 patrols, visually inspecting 407 vessels.
Among the incidents detected were the targeted harvest of dolphins, pollution incidents, and vessel marking violations.
"Canada's ongoing presence in the North Pacific is an example of the multi-national cooperation required to monitor and protect fish stocks and marine ecosystems. My sincere thanks go out to the expert crew of fishery officers, Canadian Coast Guard personnel, and our partners in the United States Coast Guard and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for their efforts in the air and at sea this year under Operation North Pacific Guard," the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, Diane Lebouthillier expressed.
As part of the country's policy, Canada's International Development Research Centre (IDRC) is supporting a new research project to promote sustainable aquaculture in the Asia-Pacific region and help develop greener innovations for this vital sector.