January 2007


On Dec. 13, 2006, the Federal government tabled Bill C-45, An Act respecting the sustainable development of Canada's seacoast and inland fisheries (Fisheries Act, 2007). The new act is a welcome modernization of fisheries legislation and would replace the 138-year-old Fisheries Act, long criticized as outdated and inadequate. The proposed act contains numerous changes and looks very different from its predecessor. If enacted, Bill C-45 would result in an extensive overhaul of the Fisheries Act. The legislative principles upon which the fishing industry is regulated will be changed in a very significant way. The revision of the environmental protection provisions will be less pronounced, but important, nonetheless.