HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA — (Marketwire) — 09/23/11 — This week–s annual meeting of the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada saw the adoption of an interim plan tabled by Canada for cod recovery on the Grand Banks. This plan, promoted by WWF, is an important step towards recovery of this depleted fishery.
While the interim plan is a positive step, a future cod fishery on the Grand Banks may still be at risk given the amount of cod bycatch in other fisheries. NAFO has not yet set a science-based bycatch target and this year it compromised on the recommended allowable amount.
NAFO also made some progress on protecting vulnerable marine ecosystems (VMEs), including an agreement to reassess the impacts of bottom fishing on VMEs. This was largely due to strong science-based conservation proposals tabled by the Unites States.
The week began with a focus on the management organization–s performance to find solutions for addressing the 129 performance review recommendations that came as a result of an independent evaluation conducted earlier this year. In the end NAFO established a working group to develop an action plan within a year, providing a strong foundation for the “long-term conservation and sustainable use of fishery resources in the Northwest Atlantic.”
Overall, efforts to implement a precautionary and ecosystem approach to fisheries management more widely will be required.
Seafood market demand for well-managed ecosystems should continue to provide incentives for science- based and precautionary approaches to NAFO decision making.
“WWF has been working for the past decade on the recovery of the Grand Banks and we have continually outlined the steps that must be undertaken by NAFO in our annually published recommendations.
This year NAFO made major advancements towards the recovery of a moratoria cod stock. Overall NAFO strengthened fisheries management.”
Dr. Bettina Saier, Director, Oceans Program
WWF-Canada
Facts
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To view WWF–s Recommendations for NAFO–s Annual Meeting visit: .
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Contacts:
WWF-Canada
Stacey McCarthy
902.229.6066