OTTAWA, Ontario Traditional Ceded Territory of the Algonquian Anishnaabeg Nation, Nov. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — A new audit of Canadian fisheries shows that science-based management and collaboration with First Nations can help restore depleted fish populations—but only if the federal government acts urgently and consistently to close long-standing gaps.
2025 Fishing audit — Oceana Canada's ninth annual assessment of marine fisheries reveals both progress and ongoing shortcomings in Canada's efforts to restore ocean abundance. Thirty-four percent of critically depleted fish stocks now have recovery plans in place, and transparency on climate change has improved, but the overall picture remains alarming. One third of all stocks are in uncertain health, another third are depleted, and the majority remain unprotected under recovery provisions Fisheries Actwhich are intended to prevent long-term depletion.
“Healthy fish stocks are a strategic asset for Canada's seafood economy and global leadership,” said Rebecca Shanes, fisheries scientist, Oceana Canada. “In the face of economic uncertainty, climate instability and global trade tensions, the federal government must accelerate progress towards well-managed fisheries. Canada cannot afford to stagnate when prosperity is within reach.”
Why recovery matters
Canada's fisheries are the cornerstone of the ocean economy, employing more than 72,000 people and creating $4.6 billion annually. Healthy fisheries are essential for:
- Providing long-term certainty and access for loggers and coastal communities that depend on fisheries.
- Improve food security, restore biodiversity and build resilience to climate change.
- Positioning Canada as a global leader in low-carbon protein production.
Accelerating fisheries recovery also makes financial sense: restoration reduces long-term losses, improves coastal resilience, and supports communities during times of economic and climate shock.
Critical Gaps
- Fish stocks remain weak. One third of marine fish and invertebrate populations are critically depleted or in the caution zone, and another third are still classified as uncertain.
- Recovery is too slow. Twelve new recovery plans in 2025 now cover one-third of critical stocks and support better decision-making. However, legal requirements still apply to only 30 of the nearly 200 federally managed fish populations. Delays increase losses and increase future recovery costs.
- Science remains excluded from key decisions: Several decisions on quotas for 2025 deviated from scientific recommendations, including doubling the quota for northern cod, a move that carries a 71 per cent chance of stock decline within three years, according to Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
- Indigenous knowledge systems lack meaningful inclusion: While collaborative successes such as the Haida Gwaii Pacific herring recovery plan show the value of combining Indigenous knowledge systems with Western science, clear policy changes are needed to ensure inclusive and holistic management.
- Forage fish and climate change gaps threaten fisheries and ecosystems. Half of the major forage fish stocks, including capelin and Atlantic herring, lack the necessary landmarks. In 2024, 90 percent of forage fish landings were from critical, cautious or uncertain stocks. Forty-three percent of stocks are climate-neutral, and most lack climate-sensitive management measures.
Oceana Canada's Recommendations to Fisheries Minister Joan Thompson
To reverse the decline and accelerate the recovery of the country's wild fisheries, Oceana Canada recommends that the Minister prioritize:
- Fisheries sustainability: Protect all federally managed stocks in accordance with the provisions of the Fish and Wildlife Act. Fisheries Act strengthen science-based management and raise Canada's profile in the global fisheries trade.
- Ecosystem approach: Extend forage species policies to all forage fish to restore the core of the ocean food web that supports commercial fisheries and long-term productivity.
- Indigenous reconciliation: Incorporate indigenous knowledge systems into fisheries co-management legislation, policies and agreements.
- Taking a precautionary approach and adapting to climate: Invest in timely stock assessments, track all catches, assign status to all uncertain stocks, and create climate-resilient fisheries.
- Transparency and Accountability: Publish management plans and advisory records in a timely manner, ensuring broad and equitable participation in fisheries decision-making.
“Implementing these actions will translate Canada's laws and commitments into tangible recovery on the water,” Shanes said. “This is an essential strategy to protect the fishing industry and restore the biodiversity, food security and cultural fabric of communities that depend on fish.”
Access to full withdrawals
Download full version 2025 Fishing audit and detailed conclusions on www.oceana.ca/RebuildAbundance.
Oceana Canada was founded as an independent charity in 2015 and is part of the largest international advocacy group dedicated exclusively to ocean conservation. Oceana Canada has successfully campaigned to ban single-use plastics, end the shark fin trade, include legislation to restore depleted fish populations, improve fisheries management practices, and protect marine habitats. We work with civil society, scientists, fishermen, First Nations and the federal government to return Canada's once-vibrant oceans to health and abundance. By restoring Canada's oceans, we can strengthen our communities, realize greater economic and nutritional benefits, and protect our future. Find out more at oceana.ca.
Media Contact: Vaishali Dassani, Oceana Canada, [email protected]647-294-3335;
Rose-Marie Menard, PMR pilot, [email protected]+1-579-622-9925.
Media resources available here.
