The Honourable Gail Shea, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, today issued the following statement:
Today, Canada celebrates World Oceans Day. This is a day for all Canadians to consider the importance of oceans to life on our planet, as well as its role in our economy, society and culture. It is also a time to raise awareness about the health of our oceans and acknowledge the role that we all play in conserving and protecting them.
Canada first proposed the creation of World Oceans Day in 1992 and this year, it was officially recognized by the United Nations. As a maritime nation, bordered by the Pacific, Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, we have a vested interest in ensuring the health of this essential resource.
With this in mind, we are working with our partners to ensure that future generations of Canadians inherit healthy oceans and ocean resources. We are protecting our ocean resources on a number of fronts and we are achieving results.
At the basis of our approach is solid science to guide our decisions. Both domestically and internationally, we undertake scientific work to better understand our ocean environment. In recent years we have created six new Ecosystem Research Initiatives and ten new Centres of Excellence to strengthen and focus our research.
Our Government is working to firmly establish Canada as a model for sustainable fisheries and aquaculture. Our goal is to protect and conserve aquatic resources, while supporting sustainable development and responsible use of these resources in a changing climate. We make informed decisions, plan ahead, manage environmental impacts, enforce the rules, and monitor results. As a result, Canada’s seafood sector is being managed to meet today’s needs without compromising future generations. We have also provided information on Canada’s sustainable fish and seafood that will help consumers to make better choices.
I encourage Canadians to visit www.oceans.info.gc.ca for more information on how we are managing our oceans and what it means for you and your community. Let’s all take the opportunity today to think about what we can do to make a difference for our oceans.
