TELL THE GOVERNMENT TO PROTECT CAPELIN AND CLOSE THE COMMERCIAL FISHERY

BREAKING: A majority of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians support closing the capelin fishery. Fisheries and Oceans Canada must take action immediately to rebuild this overfished and depleted fish population.

Capelin are a small schooling fish found off the coast of northeast Newfoundland and Labrador. These forage fish are a critical part of the food chain in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean, feeding animals such as humpback whales, cod and puffins.

Despite being essential to the health of the ecosystem and the culture of coastal communities, capelin are being overfished by the commercial fishery. The commercial fishery targets the eggs of female capelin to sell overseas, meaning that not only are adults removed from the population, but the next generation is lost too. Coastal communities also lose out on their ability to traditionally harvest capelin as they have for centuries.

The vast majority of residents of Newfoundland and Labrador – 84 per cent – care deeply about rebuilding local ocean ecosystems and support pausing the commercial capelin fishery until the population recovers. Fisheries and Oceans Canada needs to know that this issue matters to you, too!

Sign the petition to tell the government you want the capelin fishery closed immediately.

Hon.

Ken

McDonald

House of Commons Fisheries Committee

The Honourable

Diane

Lebouthillier

Department of Fisheries and Oceans

The Honourable

Seamus

O'Regan

Ministry of Labour

Member of Parliament

Joanne

Thompson

Member of Parliament

Minister of Rural Economi

Gudie

Hutchings

Minister of Rural Economic Development

Parliamentary Secretary

Mike

Kelloway

Parliamentary Secretary

Dear Hon. Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Canada,

Capelin are critically depleted and have been overfished for three decades. Right now, you can end the active overfishing of this important forage fish by pausing the capelin fishery in northeast Newfoundland and Labrador until strong fisheries management is in place to help them rebuild.

The 2J3KL capelin population collapsed in the early 1990s and has never been given the chance to recover. A commercial fishery is still allowed to operate, targeting the eggs of female capelin. This means that not only are adults removed from the population, but the next generation is lost too. All while local communities see less capelin rolling at their shores, historically an important food, social and cultural harvest.

The 2J3KL population is at just nine per cent pre-collapse levels. In fact, low capelin abundance has been identified as the primary reason that northern cod is not rebounding as expected.

Pausing the capelin fishery in the short-term can lead to a long-term sustainable fishing future. As shown in Oceana Canada’s annual Fishery Audit, in the past seven years, the number of healthy fisheries has decreased and most of the management indicators haven’t budged. Capelin can be a good news story if the government follows science advice, and the law, to rebuild this stock.

To recover capelin in northeast Newfoundland and Labrador, Oceana Canada strongly recommends the following actions:

1.	Immediately close the 2J3KL capelin fishery.
2.	Implement the Precautionary Approach for the capelin stock.
3.	Develop a management strategy that accounts for capelin’s role in the ecosystem and with adequate monitoring, prior to resuming the capelin fishery.

Rebuilding fish like capelin is vital for a healthy ocean and a healthy economy. Please make the right decision to protect capelin in northeast Newfoundland and Labrador and ensure future generations inherit abundant marine ecosystems full of life.

Sincerely, 
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