University of Calgary PRISM: University of Calgary's Digital Repository University of Calgary Press University of Calgary Press Open Access Books 2014 Fishing for a Solution: Canada’s Fisheries Relations with the European Union, 1977–2013 Barry, Donald; Applebaum, Bob; Wiseman, Earl University of Calgary Press Barry, D., Applebaum, B. & Wiseman, E. "Fishing for a Solution: Canada’s Fisheries Relations with the European Union, 1977–2013". Beyond boundaries: Canadian defence and strategic studies series; 5. University of Calgary Press, Calgary, Alberta, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/1880/50142 book http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives 4.0 International Downloaded from PRISM: https://prism.ucalgary.ca FISHING FOR A SOLUTION: CANADA’S FISHERIES RELATIONS WITH THE EUROPEAN UNION, 1977–2013 Donald Barry, Bob Applebaum, and Earl Wiseman ISBN 978-1-55238-779-5 THIS BOOK IS AN OPEN ACCESS E-BOOK. 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Acknowledgement: We acknowledge the wording around open access used by Australian publisher, re.press, and thank them for giving us permission to adapt their wording to our policy http://www.re-press.org FISHING FOR A SOLUTION Canada’s Fisheries Relations with the European Union, 1977–2013 DONALD BARRY, BOB APPLEBAUM, AND EARL WISEMAN FISHING FOR A SOLUTION Beyond Boundaries: Canadian Defence and Strategic Studies Series Rob Huebert, Series Editor ISSN 1716-2645 (Print) ISSN 1925-2919 (Online) Canada’s role in international military and strategic studies ranges from peace- building and Arctic sovereignty to unconventional warfare and domestic secur- ity. This series provides narratives and analyses of the Canadian military from both an historical and a contemporary perspective. No. 1∙ The Generals: The Canadian Army’s Senior Commanders in the Second World War J.L. Granatstein No. 2∙ Art and Memorial: The Forgotten History of Canada’s War Art Laura Brandon No. 3∙ In the National Interest: Canadian Foreign Policy and the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, 1909–2009 Edited by Greg Donaghy & Michael K. Carroll No. 4∙ Long Night of the Tankers: Hitler’s War Against Caribbean Oil David J. Bercuson and Holger H. Herwig No. 5∙ Fishing for a Solution: Canada’s Fisheries Relations with the European Union, 1977–2013 Donald Barry, Bob Applebaum, and Earl Wiseman FISHING FOR A SOLUTION Canada’s Fisheries Relations with the European Union, 1977–2013 DONALD BARRY, BOB APPLEBAUM, AND EARL WISEMAN Beyond Boundaries: Canadian Defence and Strategic Studies Series ISSN 1716-2645 (Print) ISSN 1925-2919 (Online) © 2014 Donald Barry, Bob Applebaum, and Earl Wiseman University of Calgary Press 2500 University Drive NW Calgary, Alberta Canada T2N 1N4 www.uofcpress.com This book is available as an ebook which is licensed under a Creative Commons license. The publisher should be contacted for any commercial use which falls outside the terms of that license. Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication Barry, Donald, 1947–, author Fishing for a solution : Canada’s fisheries relations with the European Union, 1977–2013 / Donald Barry, Bob Applebaum, and Earl Wiseman. (Beyond boundaries : Canadian defence and strategic studies series, ISSN 1716-2645 ; no. 5) Includes bibliographical references and index. Issued in print and electronic formats. ISBN 978-1-55238-778-8 (pbk.).—ISBN 978-1-55238-781-8 (epub).— ISBN 978-1-55238-782-5 (mobi).—ISBN 978-1-55238-780-1 (pdf) 1. Fisheries—North Atlantic Ocean—History—20th century. 2. Fisheries— North Atlantic Ocean—History—21st century. 3. Fishery policy—Canada— History—20th century. 4. Fishery policy—Canada—History—21st century. 5. Fishery policy—European Union countries—History—20th century. 6. Fishery policy—European Union countries—History—21st century. 7. Canada—Foreign economic relations—European Union countries—History—20th century. 8. Canada—Foreign economic relations—European Union countries—History— 21st century. 9. European Union countries—Foreign economic relations— Canada—History—20th century. 10. European Union countries—Foreign economic relations—Canada—History—21st century. 11. Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization—History. I. Applebaum, Bob, 1940-, author II. Wiseman, Earl, 1946-, author III. Title. IV. Title: Canada’s fisheries relations with the European Union, 1977–2013. V. Series: Beyond boundaries series ; no. 5 SH213.5.B37 2014 639.209163’109045 C2014-903514-4 C2014-903515-2 The University of Calgary Press acknowledges the support of the Government of Alberta through the Alberta Media Fund for our publications. We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Book Fund for our publishing activities. We acknowledge the financial support of the Canada Council for the Arts for our publishing program. This book has been published with support from the Centre for Military and Strategic Studies at the University of Calgary. Cover design, page design, and typesetting by Melina Cusano Table of Contents Foreword: A. W. (Arthur) May ix Acknowledgments xiii Acronyms xv Introduction 1 Chapter 1 The Long-Term Fisheries Agreement 13 Chapter 2 From Conflict to Cooperation 29 Chapter 3 The Turbot War 53 Chapter 4 New Conflicts Arise 75 Chapter 5 Reforming NAFO 99 Chapter 6 Conclusion 115 Appendix I Map of NAFO Regulatory Area 125 Appendix II Members of NAFO 127 Table I EU Quotas and Catches, 1986–1992 129 Notes 137 Bibliography 165 Index 173 To the memory of my parents, and to the other members of my family (DB) To the memory of my former Deputy Minister, Peter Meyboom (BA) To Karen, Tara, and Brahm for your love, support, and acceptance of my many work-related absences (EW) FOREWORD The buildup of European fisheries in the Northwest Atlantic after World War II resulted in a steady depletion of fish stocks along the Canadian Atlantic seaboard, until by the mid-1970s many stocks were reduced to the point of marginal economic viability for Canadian fisheries. The -es tablishment by Canada of the 200-mile limit on January 1, 1977, promised to reverse this situation. On extending fisheries jurisdiction, the Canadian authorities estab- lished a very conservative management regime inside 200 miles, in some areas against significant domestic opposition, as the 200-mile limit had created high expectations within the fishing industry. For the next five years fisheries statistics and biological data indicated that a slow recovery was taking place. Meanwhile the European Union (EU) was preoccupied with the de- velopment of a Common Fisheries Policy, an extremely difficult challenge made all the more so with the accession of Portugal and Spain to the EU in 1986. This set the stage for aggressive fishing practices and aggressive fisheries negotiations with other coastal states, including Canada. In these early years of extended fisheries jurisdiction, Canada was pre- occupied with rebuilding fish stocks; the EU was preoccupied with finding outlets for its fishing capacity. The stage was set for a confrontation be- tween the restrictive policies of the Canadian authorities and the demands for utilization of fishing capacity by EU member states at a time when fish stocks in the Northwest Atlantic as a whole were fished to their sustainable maxima, and often beyond. To make matters even more complex, many of the groundfish stocks off Newfoundland and Labrador were distributed on either side of the 200-mile limit on the Grand Banks, and completely outside 200 miles on ix the Flemish Cap. Some were largely outside 200 miles on the Grand Banks during the spring spawning season.