Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) has completed its annual patrol of the North Pacific Ocean to detect and deter IUU fishing activity and monitor fishing fleets active on the high seas.
Operation North Pacific Guard (Op. NPG), relied on the skill and expertise of an integrated crew of experts led by DFO fishery officers and supported by the Canadian Coast Guard and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. The patrol by CCGS Sir Wilfrid Laurier also included representatives from the Fisheries Agency of Japan, the United States Coast Guard, and the NOAA.
‘Protecting fish stocks does not stop at our borders. Canada has taken a key role in the fight against illegal fishing, and I am proud of the fishery officers and Canadian Coast Guard crews carrying out this mission across the Pacific with our international partners,’ said Minister of Fisheries Joanne Thompson.
‘This work protects our investments under the Pacific Salmon Strategy Initiative to restore wild Pacific salmon and the ecosystems they depend on.’
Over the course of two months, the crew monitored several hundred fishing vessels and conducted 30 high-seas inspections, interacting with over 500 crew members. The team also participated in the rescue of three crew of a distressed sailing vessel in the North Pacific.
The high-seas inspections resulted in the detection of 52 potential violations of international fisheries requirements, including shark finning and the use of prohibited gear to catch sharks, misreporting or inaccurate reporting of catch, bycatch, and discards, including prohibited species, as well as several violations for failing to protect seabirds while setting fishing gear.
Canada also led daily aerial patrols from Hokkaido, monitoring fishing activity the Northwest Pacific. A total of 344 fishing vessels were inspected by air and 21 potential violations were detected related to shark finning, illegal killing of dolphins, pollution, and marking requirements. Canadian inspectors delivering air patrols were joined by enforcement staff from the Fisheries Agency of Japan and Korea Coast Guard.
‘Through Operation North Pacific Guard, Canada demonstrates leadership in advancing maritime security in the Indo-Pacific alongside our partners,’ commented Canada’s Ambassador to Japan and Special Envoy to the Indo-Pacific Ian G. McKay.
‘Building on the Canada-Japan Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, this year marks significant progress in deepening our cooperation with Japan through the mutual deployment of personnel, enhanced information sharing, joint exercises, and support for patrol operations.’
In addition to the mission’s enforcement activities, officials from Canada and Japan exchanged operational findings and coordinated joint monitoring, control, and inspection activities. This builds on the commitments made by Prime Ministers Mark Carney of Canada and Takaichi Sanae of Japan, under three Memoranda of Cooperation aimed at further strengthening collaboration between Canada and Japan in maritime security, including against illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing in the North Pacific.
