May 01, 2005
St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador

Check against delivery

On behalf of the government and indeed all Canadians — welcome to Canada, and to Newfoundland and Labrador, and to St. John’s. Many of you have traveled long distances to be here, and I know that at the end of this week, you’ll bring back part of this special province with you. The people here have a way of making visitors feel at home. And let me tell you from personal experience: once Newfoundland and Labrador is in your blood, it’s there to stay.

Canadians know this well. This province — known affectionately as “the Rock” — occupies a special place in our hearts, no matter where we’re from, no matter where we live in Canada. It also occupies a special place in our history.

It was here that Vikings first landed on North America’s shores, a thousand years ago. It was here that the start of North American history began to take shape. And it was here that Canada’s fishery began in earnest.

Five centuries ago — after Viking, Basque and Portuguese fishermen had laid the foundation of Canada’s fishery — the Italian explorer John Cabot took note of the fact that the waters of the so-called “new found land” were swarming with cod.

The fish were so plentiful, he said, that they could be taken from the water with baskets weighted down with stones. Cabot’s words made waves across the Atlantic. Fishermen from all over Europe made the yearly trek across the ocean to fish what they could in the summers before hauling their catch back to the bustling marketplaces of London, Paris, Madrid, Lisbon and beyond.

Canadian winters being what they are, it’s no surprise these fishermen headed home every autumn. But over time, many of them decided to stay – for a year, for two. The hardier ones stayed for life. They brought with them their culture, their customs, and their language. Today, many Newfoundland and Labrador towns bear the names given to them by these early settlers: Gambo. Port-aux-Choix. Portugal Cove. Spaniard’s Bay.

It’s no exaggeration to say that the story of the North America in many ways begins with the story of Newfoundland and Labrador. It was the promise of abundance, gifts from the sea, that brought so many people to Canada’s shores. That’s why it’s such a terrible irony that the poor state of the fishery today is what brings us to this conference.

The fishery arouses great passion in the hearts of Atlantic Canadians, as it does in hearts of any Canadian who lives near our three oceans. It’s bred in their bones. When times are hard for the fishery, they’re the first to feel the sting.

The memory of the collapse of cod stocks in the 1990s is still fresh, especially in this part of the country. You can see it in the faces of those who lived through it. And you can hear it in their words when they express their frustration at the condition of the world’s fisheries and oceans.

Experts the world over agree that this desperate state is one of the major environmental crises facing us today. Countless stocks have fallen to historic lows. Some are being quickly driven to the brink of extinction. And it’s becoming more and more difficult for our fishers to make a living from the ocean.

Canada certainly isn’t alone in facing this challenge. The United Nations estimates that more than 52 per cent of the world’s fisheries are already fully exploited; that 24 per cent are either overexploited, depleted or barely recovering; that 30 per cent of the world’s catch comes from illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. In some regions, fleets are catching up to three times more than permitted levels. And this at a time when stocks have dwindled to a pittance.

Since 1990, commercial catches in the European Union have fallen by 20 per cent. In Australia, by 11 per cent. Here in Canada, by 36 per cent. This is simply unacceptable. It seriously undermines our credibility in managing our fisheries, both domestically and globally.

Ladies and gentlemen: we must never forget that we are in this together, and it is only together than we are going to put things right. If I may speak bluntly — Canadians are more than frustrated by the lack of progress the international community is making to stop overfishing. Fishers who follow the rules are quick to point out that there are too many others who don’t.

Their frustration at overfishing is as tangible as it is understandable. The effects of overfishing are real. You can witness them first-hand. Just visit some of this province’s outports to see what I mean. Fishing villages that were once the epicenter of Canada’s fishing industry are now empty shells. Once-bustling communities are now home to abandoned buildings and empty houses. Mothers and fathers stand and watch as their children leave home to find work on the mainland.

Clearly, overfishing takes an environmental toll. But make no mistake: it takes an economic toll of staggering proportions. Worst of all, it takes a human toll. And that is why I stand before you tonight, to say – this cannot go on. We cannot allow it to go on. We must not allow it to go on.

It is unconscionable that even now, even given the perilous state of our fisheries, even given the havoc wreaked on the lives and the livings of so many people, overfishing continues off the nose and the tail of the Grand Banks by foreign fleets. I’m here to tell you that my government will not stand by and watch it happen. Overfishing is irresponsible. It’s wrong. And it must stop.

I know that many of you have stories similar to those of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians and other Atlantic Canadians. Stories about fish stocks that are a shadow of what they once were. Stories of heated competition — and sometimes heated conflict — for a dwindling resource. Stories about people who have fished for as long as anyone can remember, being forced to uproot, and seek opportunity elsewhere. Stories of our citizens’ impatience when they hear us talk about the need for change, without ever changing anything.

We haven’t always done things right. But here in Canada, we’ve taken a number of steps at the domestic level to transform how we manage our fisheries and oceans -- modernizing our policies,
giving a voice to our stakeholders in the decision-making process, and putting conservation first.

We’re also developing an Oceans Action Plan to manage the wide diversity of human activities on our oceans, using ecosystem science, cutting-edge technology and co-operation at the national and global levels. We are indeed active domestically -- but implicit in these efforts must be a recognition that we need to work together globally to truly make a difference.

This is a shared problem, a world wide challenge. The solution will not be delivered by any one of us, but by all of us, working together.

Many will argue that making progress at the international level is a task that requires, patience, collaboration and determination; that there are no quick fixes. And they are right.

But the fact remains we have to make serious and lasting changes. And we haven’t got much time. Hopefully this conference can help speed the process up. Even better, it can point the way to where we have to be.

Overfishing is a global issue with profound implications. And we need to treat it as a global problem. Fish respect no borders. Our oceans refuse to be bound by the jurisdictional lines we draw on them. We need to put aside these constraints. We need to move away from old ways of thinking.

We share the benefit of our oceans and the resources they hold. We should share the responsibility, too, of managing them and protecting them for the future.

I’m happy to say that I’m not the only one who thinks this way. As Prime Minister, I’ve made addressing overfishing and the depletion of the oceans a cornerstone of Canada’s new foreign policy. I’ve done this because I deeply believe, and have now for years, that this is an issue on which the countries of the world can work together to achieve something that is not only in their own interests but in the interest of the common good of our planet and our people.

I’ve traveled around the world with this message – I’ve discussed it with leaders across every continent. I’ve raised it at the United Nations. And I’ve proposed creating a new multilateral forum for world leaders – a so-called L-20 – whose size and mandate would be ideal for prompting real and tangible action on overfishing.

I’m encouraged by what I’m hearing. World leaders understand that the state of global ocean resources is grim. They agree that enough time has been spent on words. And they agree that we need to act now, as a global community.

The good news is that we already have many of the agreements we need. Indeed over the last fifteen years, Canada has worked closely with other fishing nations to develop a series of agreements and mechanisms to curb overfishing and the effects of the fishery on the marine ecosystems.

Many here have played an important role in the development of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and the UN Fish Agreement. Here in North America, Canada and the U.S. have put much effort into jointly managing shared stocks like halibut and salmon.

Canada is also a member of the ministerial High Seas Task Force. Chaired by Great Britain, Canada joins Australia, Chile, Namibia and New Zealand — and a number of non-governmental organizations — in building a coalition of countries and environmental groups to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing on the high seas.

Clearly, the commitment is there. The agreements are there. The problem is this -- having the agreements in place and enforcing them are two different things.

The question now is do the nations of the world have the political will to move forward? Can we muster the global courage we need to change the status quo? Can we build a brighter future for our fisheries and the marine environment?

Your presence here in St. John’s this week tells me that the answer to these questions is yes. Building the will — and finding determination — is what this conference is all about. Over the coming days, you’ll have a unique opportunity to put the issues on the table and explore solutions as a global community.

Make no mistake: as the conference’s theme suggests, the time for simply talking about the problem is over. Canada joins other nations in looking for concerted action against the systemic pillage of our oceans and their resources. We — and by “we”, I mean the global community — need to see concrete results in a short period of time.

First, we need Regional Fisheries Management Organizations that work. Too often, the obligations set out by these bodies simply aren’t followed. We need to give them the tools and the power they need to be effective.

Second, some of these organizations were established at a time when our fisheries were strong and healthy. Clearly, they must be brought into line with the current reality.

Third, for fishing fleets that break the rules, we need real sanctions with real bite. Unfortunately, illegal fishing occurs because the profits far outweigh the penalties. Giving violators a mere slap on the wrist and sending them back to their home port isn’t good enough. Too often, fines for breaking the rules are seen as “just another cost of doing business.” This is unacceptable. We need to correct this imbalance, put good before greed, stop pretending that certain nations aren’t breaking the rules and instead put in place tough sanctions for those who do.

Fourth, we need nations to be accountable for their fishing fleets. If vessels flying our flags are breaking the rules, or contravening obligations set out by the international community, we cannot look the other way. We must take responsibility for the actions of those who fly our flags.

Finally, we need to truly use the agreements at our disposal. For example, the UN Fish Agreement, which holds great potential to protect and rebuild our fisheries and oceans over the long-term. The St. John’s Conference is our opportunity to prove that the global community is serious about making progress on issues like these, that we’re committed to securing a brighter future for the world’s fisheries, and that we’re mustering the political will and the global courage to draw a line in the sand that says, once and for all, the pillage stops here.

Ladies and gentlemen, around the world people agree that our oceans cannot be taken for granted any longer; That our fish stocks cannot be exploited to extinction. They agree that these resources are a natural blessing. Ones to be cherished and nurtured. Ones to be cared for by the global community.

They agree that strong, prosperous economies are directly linked to the strength and prosperity of our natural environments. That environmental sustainability and economic success are not mutually exclusive goals. And they agree that the future of our oceans and their resources depends on how well we work together today.

Tonight, I’m asking you to build on this global consensus. I’m asking you to seize this historic occasion, and begin the process to stop the rape of our fisheries and oceans, once and for all. I’m asking you to come together — as a global community — to write the next chapter in the history of the world’s fisheries and oceans, and to restore their once-proud place in our cultures, in our nations, and in our lives.

Thank you.