Moratorium on Bottom Trawling

AI summary

The petitioners ask the House of Commons to implement the 2011 UN resolution and introduce a moratorium on bottom trawling. They state that bottom trawling is a non‑selective method that, they say, harms deep‑sea habitats, removes non‑target species, can contribute to stock collapses and reduced productivity, and that Fisheries and Oceans Canada provides species‑level catch data but not ecosystem‑level information; they also call for harmonized international laws and updated practices to reflect modern science and consumer expectations.

AI summaries describe petitioners’ requests and claims. Consult the official record for the full text.

Official petition

PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLED We, the undersigned Citizens of Canada draw to the attention of the House the following: THAT, WHEREAS, bottom trawling is a non-selective fishing method that involves towing nets along the seafloor, WHEREAS, according to the 2011 United Nations Convention on Sustainable Fisheries Resolution, Canadian Groundfish Research and Conservation Society (CGRCS) and Deep Sea Conservation Coalition, bottom trawling has detrimental effects on deep-sea environmental habitats, WHEREAS these practices are unfavourable for fishery markets due to stock collapses, habitat loss and reduction in productivity, WHEREAS many untargeted species are removed from the ocean floor, WHEREAS The Department of Fisheries and Oceans has only provided data on specific groundfish species caught by bottom trawling and not on entire ecosystems or trawling effects, WHEREAS harmonizing international laws that encourage modern science and respond to consumer expectations benefits businesses and consumers in today's global market place, WHEREAS the most updated practices are insufficient, THEREFORE, YOUR PETITIONERS call upon the House of Commons to implement the 2011 UN Convention calling for a moratorium on bottom trawling.

Government response

No government response is available yet.