Open for signatureElectronice-7802 · Parliament 45

Allow recreational spearfishing

Sign on the House of Commons website

Petitioners ask the Government of Canada to amend Maritime Provinces/Atlantic Fishery Regulations to permit recreational breath‑hold spearfishing in Maritime tidal waters for species allowed to angling, subject to species‑specific seasons, size and catch limits, conservation closures, DFO rules and stakeholder consultation.

Why we would sign this petition

  • Provides Maritimers an additional selective, low‑impact recreational method that reduces bycatch, litter and harm when regulated.
  • Maintains conservation safeguards by requiring species‑specific seasons, size and catch limits and conservation closures.
  • Local stakeholder consultation aims to produce context‑specific rules and safety measures.

Why we wouldn’t sign this petition

  • May cause user conflicts with commercial fishers or other marine users, requiring complex local management.
  • Effective enforcement and safety oversight offshore could be difficult and costly to implement.
  • Could increase fishing pressure on vulnerable stocks if regulations or compliance are insufficient.

The summary and both sets of reasons are AI-generated from the petition and given equal weight. Claims are the petitioners’ own; consult the official record for the full text.

Official petition

Petition to the Government of Canada The Maritime Provinces Fishery Regulations (SOR/93-55) govern fishing in Nova Scotia and adjacent tidal waters; Those federal regulations already recognize spears as a lawful recreational fishing method for certain species, including eel, smelt and tomcod; Recreational spearfishing is the most sustainable fishing method, as it allows the fisher to identify the individual healthy fish before harvesting it, and thus inherently creates virtually no litter, bycatch, or unnecessary harm to the environment when regulated properly; Spearfishing is permitted as a regulated recreational fishing method in other Canadian provinces and jurisdictions; and Maritimers should have access to recreational fishing methods that can be appropriately managed while maintaining existing conservation objectives, seasons, size limits and catch limits. We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to: 1. Amend the Maritime Provinces Fishery Regulations and/or the Atlantic Fishery Regulations to establish recreational breath-hold (freedive) spearfishing as a permitted fishing method in the tidal waters of the Maritime Provinces, including both near shore and offshore, for the same species’ that angling is permitted for, subject to appropriate species-specific seasons, size limits, catch limits, conservation closures, safety considerations, and other measures deemed necessary by Fisheries and Oceans Canada; and 2. Consult with local recreational fishers, commercial fishers, spearfishers, First Nation communities, conservation organizations, and other affected stakeholders when developing the regulatory framework for recreational spearfishing.

Government response

No government response is available yet.