Abstract
The
purpose
of
this
Capstone
project
was
to
first
explore
the
causes
of
overfishing,
then
to
explore
how
the
issue
is
both
viewed
and
dealt
with
in
terms
of
policy
and
legislation
in
two
highly
comparable
jurisdictions:
Canada
and
the
United
States.
The
research
draws
to
attention
that
there
is
a
distinct
lack
of
effective
coastal
commercial
fisheries
management
in
Canada
and
when
compared
to
the
United
States,
the
degree
of
mismanagement
becomes
even
more
apparent.
It
is
discovered
that
despite
the
magnitude
of
the
collapse
of
the
Atlantic
cod
fishery
in
Newfoundland,
Canada
has
still
yet
to
develop
sufficient
policy
and
legislation
to
effectively
combat
the
ongoing
issue
of
overfishing
in
coastal
Canadian
waters.
This
is
sharply
contrasted
by
U.S.
fisheries
management
under
the
federal
Magnuson-‐
Stevens
Act
that
by
nearly
all
accounts
has
been
monumental
in
the
country’s
progress
in
controlling
overfishing.
Researching
the
causes
of
overfishing
and
comparing
fisheries
policy
and
legislation
in
both
countries
gleans
the
conclusion
that
not
only
can
overfishing
issues
be
solved
through
strong
federal
fisheries
management,
but
the
United
States
is
currently
doing
so
through
effective
legislation
that
Canada
desperately
requires.
Furthermore,
it
is
recommended
that
Canada
should
achieve
stronger
federal
fisheries
management
through
the
legislative
measure
of
amending
the
federal
Fisheries
Act
to
not
only
recognize
overfishing
but
to
include
rebuilding
plans
for
overfished
stocks.
The
recommended
rebuilding
plans
are
inspired
by
the
stock
rebuilding
measures
laid
out
in
the
United
States’
federal
Magnuson-‐Stevens
Act.
Refereed
Yes
