Canada and France pressured to resolve Northwest Atlantic halibut quota impasse

The Canada Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) and French officials are continuing to negotiate quota sharing for stocks of halibut in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean. Landings of Atlantic halibut in Canada were valued at roughly CAD 70 million (USD 51 million, EUR 47 million) in 2022, but Canada does not have exclusive access to the fishery, as France still controls the islands of Saint Pierre and Miquelon off the coast of Newfoundland. The CBC reported that tensions between Canada and France have been rising as the DFO has become aware that vessels from Saint Pierre and Miquelon, as well as vessels from the Faroe Islands, have been fishing for Atlantic halibut adjacent to Canadian waters – potentially impacting Canada’s fishery."We are deeply concerned about the impacts of this activity on the sustainability of this important fish stock, and we will take further actions as appropriate," DFO spokesperson Axel Rioux said. The Canadian halibut industry has also accused France of ...