United Action against Ocean Plunderers
An unprecedented mission under the banner of Operation North Pacific Guard has been launched to combat the nefarious threat of illegal, unregulated, and unreported (IUU) fishing. This annual international law enforcement operation, which is centered in the North Pacific Ocean, aims to stem the alarming decline in fish stocks and protect fragile marine ecosystems.
Canada leads the task force, which also comprises officers from the U.S. Coast Guard. The epic four-month journey will span an imposing 11 million square miles. Here, they will conduct patrols and inspection operations, keen to detect illegal catches and enforce compliance with fishing regulations.
High Stakes and Salmon Stakes
Canada has alerted the global community to the increasingly perilous predicament of salmon populations in the North Pacific. Authorities point to ever-escalating levels of IUU fishing as a significant risk to these species. Furthermore, global warming and its accompanying rise in ocean temperatures further exacerbate the struggles of this piscine population.
Should the current trajectory hold, scientists predict a bleak future for salmon survival, which may dip by a staggering 90 percent over the next 40 years. Commercial salmon catches already hit a century’s second-lowest harvest in 2022, only four years after recording an all-time high in 2018.
Efforts to Halt a Maritime Menace
The Canadian government threw its weight behind the monumental endeavor, ensuring the support of its Pacific Salmon Strategy Initiative to combat IUH activities. Over the next five years, Canada’s Fisheries and Oceans Department will allocate more than C$46 million to step up conservation, protection, and enforcement efforts in jeopardy zones for Pacific salmon stocks.
Aside from Canada, other countries, including the U.S., Japan, Korea, and Russia, are invested in monitoring salmon populations and catches through the North Pacific Anadromous Fish Commission.
Concluding Thoughts
Joyce Murray, the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans, and the Canadian Coast Guard emphasized the urgency of the situation. She highlighted the importance of Pacific salmon to the food security, cultures, and economies of various First Nations. “The high seas enforcement operation,” she said, “will assist in the rebuilding efforts we are undertaking domestically.”
Last year’s mission unveiled a slew of violations, including shark catches, garbage pollution, non-compliant identification markings, and incorrect catch records. Armed with this knowledge and collective resolve, the current task force is doubly determined to protect the North Pacific from the depredations of illegal fishing.
