Fish Introductions in Canada: Provincial Views and Regulations

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The umbrella legislation governing introductions of fish and fish products to the provinces and territories of Canada is the Fisheries Act of Canada which provides for the making of regulations concerning coastal and inland fisheries. Specific jurisidiction over introductions for fish health reasons is included in the Fish Health Protection Regulations under the Fisheries Act. Most of the jurisdictions have enacted fishery regulations under the federal Fisheries Act which control movement of fish into their territories and between water bodies within their boundaries. Some jurisdictions have additional broad natural resources legislation which includes provision for regulating movement of introduced species. Specific policies concerning introduction issues have been developed in some jurisdictions and are being considered in others. Legislation and compliance efforts to prevent unwanted introductions have not been particularly effective. Recent attention, particularly in the Great Lakes basin, has focused on ballast water introductions with potential for considerable economic and ecologic damage (e.g. Gymnocephalus cernuus, Dreissena polymorpha). Neither federal nor provincial legislation appears to have sufficient scope to prevent or control this class of introductions.

This publication has 4 references indexed in Scilit: