Monitoring Program Overview

The aim of the monitoring program is the protection of Canada's fisheries resources through enforcement of acts and regulations, fisheries management measures and the provisions of fisheries plans

Types of monitoring

Land

• About 35 fisheries officers in the Quebec Region
• Spread among sector and distict offices
• Appointed under section 5 of the Fisheries Act
• Peace officers under section 2 of the Criminal Code

Role of the fisheries officer

• Ensuring that regulations are propertly enforced and complied with so as to ensure the conservation and sustainable development of resources
• Working in partnership with the industry
• Educating the various industry stakeholders

Officers deployed to monitor

• Commercial fisheries
• Recreational fisheries
• Aboriginal fisheries
• Fish habitats

Duties of fisheries officers

• Patrolling
• Dockside monitoring of catches
• Monitoring of illegal activities
• Ensuring habitat protection
• Advising fishermen on government policies and regulations
• Initiating legal procedures when an offense has been committed

Aerial

• Patrolling open and closed fishing areas
• Controlling fisheries activities
• Discovering illegal fishing gear
• Pollution control
• Aerial surveillance is mainly carried out through contracts with the private sector

Types of equipment

• Aircraft
• Turbo-propelled twin-engine aircraft equipped with a powerful search radar as well as accurate navigational aids and airborne data management systems
• Helicopters are also used to fly over shoreline areas and northern Quebec

Vessels

• Patrol closed and open fishing areas
• Control fisheries activities
• Board fishing boats to ensure that licences, gear and catch fully comply with the regulations

Types of vessels

• Fisheries patrol vessels
  
  
  
• Watercraft: Fisheries officers also use small watercraft (measuring less than 12 m) operated by the officers themselves, such as Zodiacs
  

At-sea observers

• Observers are employed by private-sector companies
• They must complete a training program accredited by the Canadian General Standards Board
• They must be certified and accredited by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans
• Observers ensure that fishing boats comply with Canadian fisheries regulations
• They report to fisheries officers any incidents they believe to be infractions
• Observers gather scientific and technical data used for fisheries management and stock assessment

Satellites

• Allows data on boat positions to be requested at any time
• Data on catches and the fishing effort
• Electronic log records
• Radio reports, reports on movements to and from zones governed by NAFO and reports on cargo transfer, ship routes and speed, catch composition, types of products, water depth, etc.
• Notices to fishers (area openings and closures, variation orders)
• Satellite tracking cannot replace more conventional enforcement methods, but it does complement them

Conclusion

Protecting our oceans and marine resources is everyone's business. A few small gestures will ensure that future generations benefit, just like us, from the wealth and beauty of the environment.

With just a bit of work, we can ensure that future generations will benefit, like us, from the wealth and beauty of the resource.