Ottawa, Ontario - Oceans are vital to the livelihoods of communities across Canada, and we face unprecedented challenges and opportunities in our marine environment. One way the Government of Canada can promote innovation and growth in Canada’s oceans economy, or blue economy, is to examine regulatory practices.
Today, the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, the Honourable Joyce Murray, announced the Blue Economy Regulatory Review, which will look at how regulation affects ocean innovation. The review will examine regulatory practices that are bottlenecks to economic growth and innovation, while continuing to prioritize health, safety, security, and environmental responsibilities in the blue economy. Fisheries and Oceans Canada is inviting all stakeholders to provide feedback through the Let’s Talk Federal Regulations (LTFR) platform over the next three months, focusing on five key themes:
- Marine Spatial Planning
- Sustainable Fishing Gear and Practices
- Marine Renewable Energy and Environmental Protection
- Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships
- Ocean technology
These five themes stem from input provided by stakeholders on the Blue Economy Strategy to date. The Blue Economy Regulatory Review aims to build on this feedback, seeking additional input on barriers, irritants, and bottlenecks in the current blue economy regulatory system to enable effective and targeted action. A roadmap will be developed following the review to serve as an action plan, outlining measures that will better allow communities and businesses that rely on the ocean economy to grow in a responsible way, resulting in benefits for all Canadians.
Source : Canada.ca