The federal government is biased against listing commercially valuable fish as species at risk and needing protection, environment commissioner Jerry DeMarco said in a new audit published Tuesday.
The audit of Canada’s efforts to protect aquatic species at risk was one of six new environmental reports tabled in the House of Commons.
It found Fisheries and Oceans Canada was very slow to act when the national committee that is responsible for assessing whether species need protection says a particular aquatic creature or plant is in danger.
And when that assessment relates to a fish with significant commercial value, the department’s default appears to be against listing the fish as needing special protection….