Canada Releases First-Ever Legally Mandated Plans to Rebuild Depleted Fisheries

Twelve new strategies will revive iconic species, boost coastal economies, and strengthen food security for generations.

OTTAWA, TRADITIONAL, UNCEDED TERRITORY OF THE ALGONQUIN ANISHNAABEG PEOPLE, Sept. 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Oceana Canada applauds the Minister of Fisheries, Joanne Thompson, and Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) for delivering on Canada’s legal obligations to rebuild ocean abundance by releasing 12 science-based plans with clear timelines and targets to restore depleted fish populations. If implemented effectively, these strategies can strengthen coastal and Indigenous fisheries, build more resilient ecosystems, and secure long-term food security. By rebuilding ocean abundance, they can also revitalize local economies and sustain livelihoods for generations to come.

“Rebuilding plans set the foundation for current and future generations of fish harvesters in Canada,” said Rebecca Schijns, fishery scientist at Oceana Canada. “The federal government has taken a long-awaited and vital step forward, and continued commitment to this path will be key to long-term success. I look forward to seeing these plans implemented, and to additional rebuilding commitments for all depleted populations. This is how we build resilience in the face of a changing future.”

A rebuilding plan is a science-based management strategy designed to restore an overfished or depleted population to a healthy, sustainable level, while allowing responsible fishing where possible.

This milestone follows a decade of work by Oceana Canada and ocean advocates to secure science-based management that restores abundance — including the 2019 amendments to the Fisheries Act that made rebuilding plans a legal requirement — and to build the policy momentum and public support that made these first plans possible.

The 12 new plans cover key Atlantic fisheries, including iconic forage fish such as Atlantic mackerel and herring, economically and culturally important cod, and groundfish like American plaice, winter flounder, and white hake. Off the Pacific coast, plans include culturally and ecologically significant species like Chinook salmon and Pacific herring.

The Pacific herring in Haida Gwaii plan stands out as a model for high-quality, collaborative fisheries management. Co-developed by the Council of the Haida Nation, DFO, and Parks Canada, it takes an ecosystem-first approach that meaningfully includes Indigenous Knowledge Systems. It manages herring, not only as a population, but as a foundational part of the marine ecosystem and Haida culture.

“The Pacific herring rebuilding plan builds on commitments to work together collaboratively in the spirit of reconciliation, defining what a rebuilt herring ecosystem looks like — including ecological, cultural, social, economic, governance and management aspects,” said Russ Jones, the Haida Nation co-lead of the working group that drafted the plan.   “It incorporates Haida traditional knowledge, accounts for a finer spatial structure of herring populations than historic stock assessments, and establishes mutually agreed reference points to assess progress. Recognizing that rebuilding in the major stock area is unlikely within three herring generations (15 years), it takes a cautious approach to reopening fisheries and prioritizes low-impact commercial fisheries such as spawn-on-kelp during rebuilding.”

Core elements of rebuilding plans:

• Measurable objectives and timelines to guide long-term recovery.
• Clear recovery targets, with some aiming well into the healthy zone.
• Fishing limits or moratoriums where needed, to give populations the chance to rebound.
• Transparency and tracking, to monitor progress and adjust as needed.

Global evidence, and Oceana Canada’s own analysis, show that most depleted fisheries can recover when science-based rebuilding plans are implemented and enforced. The release of these first 12 plans proves that Canada has begun taking the steps needed to make this possible. With effective implementation, this initial wave can set the stage for rebuilding depleted fisheries at scale, ensuring healthy oceans that provide sustainable seafood, support thriving coastal economies, and protect biodiversity well into the future.

“This is a moment to celebrate progress and a shift in fisheries management, but it must mark the start — not the end — of a commitment to rebuild ocean abundance,” added Schijns. “More depleted populations still need plans, and Canada has the tools, legal framework, and expertise to deliver them. With bold, sustained leadership, and in collaboration with Indigenous Peoples and coastal communities, Canada can restore marine ecosystems, revitalize coastal economies, and lead the world in sustainable fisheries recovery.”

To learn more, visit Oceana.ca/RebuildAbundance.

Oceana Canada was established as an independent charity in 2015 and is part of the largest international advocacy group dedicated solely to ocean conservation. Oceana Canada has successfully campaigned to ban single-use plastics, end the shark fin trade, make rebuilding depleted fish populations the law, improve the way fisheries are managed and protect marine habitat. We work with civil society, academics, fishers, Indigenous Peoples and governments to return Canada’s formerly vibrant oceans to health and abundance. By restoring Canada’s oceans, we can strengthen our communities, reap greater economic and nutritional benefits, and protect our future. Find out more at Oceana.ca.

Media contacts: Vaishali Dassani, Oceana Canada, vdassani@oceana.ca, 647-294-3335;
Rose-Marie Ménard, Pilot PMR, rosemarie.menard@pilotpmr.com, +1-579-622-9925

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