"Last week it was the policies of this government on Kyoto that
were embarrassing Canadians on the world stage and this week it's
high seas bottom trawling," said Bruce Cox Greenpeace Canada
Executive Director. 'Canada's new government is rapidly becoming an
environmental repeat offender on the world stage. Prime Minister
Harper has an opportunity to show environmental leadership and
instead he chooses once again to put the financial interests of the
few ahead of the environmental concerns of the many. Shame on
him."
United Nation member states will resume talks on a proposed high
seas bottom trawling moratorium on Friday November 17th, in New
York in preparation for a UN General Assembly debate in December.
Canada has joined with Spain, Japan and Russia in opposing the
proposed UN moratorium, despite growing support from unlikely
quarters like the US, Australia and the UK and the fact that there
are no Canadians trawlers operating on the high seas.
High seas bottom trawling is the practice of fishing by dragging
huge heavy nets, metal doors and rubber wheels along the ocean
floor, taking all the fish and crustaceans and crushing corals,
sponges and anything else in the way. The proposed moratorium would
temporarily suspend bottom trawling of the high seas until specific
management plans for the international waters can be developed.
"Prime Minster Harper's reasoning that a moratorium cannot be
enforced is without merit," added Cox. "Companies that practice
bottom trawling on the high seas in violation of a moratorium could
face any number of penalties including being blacklisted, refused
fishing permits inside domestic waters, and barred from ports.
Effective enforcement is simply a matter of political will and
international leadership."
Over the past several weeks, pressure on the Canadian government
has been mounting with over 10,000 people from Canada and around
the world sending emails to the Prime Minister urging Canada to
change its position and support the moratorium. The Bush
administration has signed on to the moratorium and over 1,500
scientists worldwide have called for an immediate time out from
this destructive practice.
The Harper government's continued opposition to a moratorium is
all the more concerning in light of a study released this month by
Professor Boris Worm of Dalhousie University which shows that we
may deplete wild caught fish stocks by 2048 if we continue current
fishing practices. Greenpeace is urging the Prime Minister to learn
from our mistakes in the Cod fishery and take a precautionary,
environmentally responsible path. Otherwise, we are headed towards
to the collapse of the world's fisheries.
Other contacts: Bruce Cox, Greenpeace Canada Executive Director, cell: 416-419-7341Jane Story, Greenpeace Canada Communications, cell: 416-930-9055Andrew Male, Greenpeace Communications, cell: 416-880-2757 (French and English)
Exp. contact date: 2006-11-19 00:00:00