Ottawa, Ontario - Atlantic halibut is found in waters from east of Newfoundland to the northeastern United States. Most of the stock is found in Canadian fisheries waters, with a certain percentage also found within the French Maritime Zone off the coast of St. Pierre and Miquelon. In 2022, Canadian landings of Atlantic halibut were valued at approximately $70 million.
Since 2016, Canada has been working with France to reach an agreement on quota sharing for Atlantic halibut, with officials from Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) leading the negotiations from the Canadian side. Throughout this process, DFO has always defended the interests of Canadian fish harvesters, while prioritizing the long-term viability of the Atlantic halibut stock and fairness between both countries.
As part of these negotiations, on June 4, the Honourable Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, met with her French counterpart, Mr. Hervé Berville, Minister of State for Marine Affairs. During this meeting, Minister Lebouthillier emphasized that while Canada understands France's interest in the economic development of the archipelago, any increase in France's Total Allowable Catch (TAC) of Atlantic halibut must first and foremost be based on science to ensure the long-term sustainability of the stock. She also reiterated Canada's commitment to science and management of the fishery over the decades, which ultimately contributed to rebuilding the stock to its current healthy state. Finally, Minister Lebouthillier stressed that it was in both country's interest to ensure such sustainability.
On June 6, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met with the Prime Minister of France, Gabriel Attal, on the margins of the ceremonies marking the 80th anniversary of D‑Day and the Battle of Normandy in France. The two prime ministers underscored their commitment to work together in the fisheries sector and to resolve any dispute related to Atlantic halibut.
Yesterday, Canadian and French negotiators met again, but were unable to bring the negotiations to a successful conclusion. Canada invites France to return to the table for sustained negotiations in the coming days, and remains committed to reaching an agreement that strikes a fair balance between preserving the resource and developing our respective coastal economies.
