Canada Fishing Info

HALIFAX (CP) - Scientists have for the first time discovered a string of coral ‘hot spots’ in waters off Canada’s East Coast and will use the surprising finds to press global fishing interests to steer clear of areas they say are vital marine habitats. Canadian researchers, in a study to be released Tuesday, said they found heavy concentrations of about 30 species of coral along a stretch of the seabed that extends from the Hudson Strait off Labrador to the Grand Banks off southern Newfoundland. Nadia Bouffard of the federal Fisheries Department said Canadian officials will present a handful of proposals to NAFO delegates, including some that could involve closures in areas included in this latest report on marine preservation. Using data from Canadian scientific surveys and the Canadian Fisheries Observer Program, researchers found that the most damage was likely being done by fishing vessels registered in Canada, Russia, Portugal and Spain. The federal Fisheries Department has already created several zones off the East Coast where fishing is either restricted or prohibited to protect fragile marine life. read more

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