Threats to Canada's waters
Overfishing
Scientific evidence shows overfishing is the single most serious threat to the health of our marine ecosystems.
What you can do
Download our wallet-sized Seachoice card, and use it to make ocean-friendly seafood purchases.
Trawling
Trawling, or fishing by dragging a net along the ocean floor, profoundly disturbs marine ecosystems. Both target and non-target fish and other organisms are killed by the trawl, and the seabed is physically altered. Frequent trawling prevents the intricate physical and biological structure of the seabed ecosystem from fully recovering.
Fish farming
The impacts of salmon fish farming have recently received much public attention. Pollution escapes the net cages; infectious diseases are spread to wild fish, and freshwater are colonized by escaped farm fish (including non-native Atlantic species). These are very real threats not only to the native salmon population, but to other fish, shellfish and marine mammals.
Oil and gas exploration and development
Seabirds, fish, shellfish, and eggs and larvae of all marine species are extremely vulnerable to oil spills, such as the infamous Exxon Valdez spill.
CPAWS is a member of the BC Alliance for the Preservation of the Offshore Oil and Gas Moratorium.
Climate change
The entire marine realm - from estuaries and coastal waters to the open ocean and the deep sea - is at risk from climate change. As marine biodiversity declines, the remaining species are more vulnerable to changes in their habitat.