Conservatives Announce Plan to Protect Canada’s Fisheries
After the Lost Liberal Decade, Conservatives will stop the chaos and put Canadian fishers first – for a change.
West Dover, NS — Today, Rick Perkins, Conservative Candidate for South Shore—St. Margarets, and Chris D’Entremont, Conservative Candidate for Acadie-Annapolis, announced the Conservative plan to protect Canadian fisheries. A new Conservative government will put science first, restore law and order and protect harvester rights. Conservatives will restore sustainable
fisheries and ensure fairness in Canada’s coastal communities.
“During the Lost Liberal Decade, the government has failed Canada’s fish harvesters. They’ve ignored science, weakened enforcement, and stolen quota from law-abiding Canadians,” said Perkins. “Now they want a fourth term to do more damage. Enough is enough. We need to uphold principles of conservation and preserve sustainable access so we can protect our shared resource for future generations.”
The Auditor General has confirmed that under the Liberals’ watch, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) cannot collect reliable catch data—crippling its ability to protect fish stocks and manage our fisheries sustainably. Meanwhile, DFO bureaucrats ignore the real-world experience of Canadian harvesters, creating a growing disconnect between science and what’s happening on the water.
According to a 2024 Nanos poll, 98% of Maritime Fishermen’s Union members cite unregulated
fishing as the number one threat to their ability to earn a living. Out-of-season and undocumented harvesting continues to rise due to the Liberals’ refusal to enforce the rules.
Worse still, the sixth Liberal Fisheries Minister in ten years expropriated quota from legal elver harvesters, without compensation, sending shockwaves across the fishing industry. Harvesters worry they’ll be next.
The Conservatives’ Canada First Fisheries Plan will:
- Put Science First: A Conservative Government will return to completing appropriate assessments and monitoring of Canada’s fishery stocks so better and more timely management decisions for fish harvesters can be determined to allow the industry to prepare for the upcoming fishing season.
- Restore Law and Order: Conservatives will restore the sustainability of the Atlantic fishery by ensuring that fishing is allowed only in accordance with DFO regulations.
- Protect Harvester Rights – Conservatives will uphold the principle of Willing Buyer/Willing Seller so that if new entrants access quota or fishing rights, it be purchased at fair market value from existing license holders who are willing to sell. Fishing access obtained through this policy must be managed by DFO with clear conservation objectives based on science.
“Canada’s fish harvesters follow the rules, and they deserve a government that respects their rights—not one that steals their livelihoods. All harvesting must be in accordance with the rules and only people with permission, licences, and quota can do the fishing,” said D’Entremont. “This election is a choice. We can’t afford a fourth term of more Liberal chaos. We need a new Conservative government that brings back common sense and puts Canadians First–For a Change.”
Conservatives have a plan to bring back control over our natural resources, restore fairness and order, and protect the fishery for future generations.