Government of Canada launches public consultation on changes to the Fisheries Act

Online public consultation marks the first step in following through with the commitment to restore lost protections and incorporate modern safeguards

Ottawa, Ontario – Thriving fish populations and healthy fish habitat are vital to the well-being of Canadian society. The Government of Canada is inviting Canadians to join in a conversation about the protections needed to ensure our fish have a healthy environment to live, feed and reproduce, and healthy corridors to migrate between these places.

Today, the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, announced the launch of an online public consultation to seek Canadians’ views on recent changes to the Fisheries Act.

This online public consultation is part of the Government of Canada’s Review of Environmental and Regulatory Processes, announced on June 20, 2016. The consultation will look at ways to restore lost protections and incorporate modern safeguards into the Fisheries Act in order to best safeguard our fish and fish habitat for future generations.

The feedback heard through this consultation will be provided to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans. This Committee will consider all feedback as part of its recommendations for changes to the Fisheries Act.