AUDITS WORTH THE ATTENTION
In a province that has the Pacific salmon as an official emblem, it’s surprising that a report from the federal auditor general on the management of fish stocks by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans didn’t get more attention.
The audit, conducted by the commissioner of the environment and sustainable development (part of the auditor general’s office), disclosed a number of deficiencies that should have raised concerns, if not alarm. For example, it found only three of 15 critically depleted stocks had rebuilding plans, increasing the risk that depleted stocks won’t recover. Moreover, of 154 fish stocks, 44 were either missing integrated fish management plans or the plans were out of date.
Perhaps it was understandable that the report, Sustaining Canada’s Major Fish Stocks, flew under the radar since it was released at the same time as an audit of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission. After all, preventing a nuclear accident seems more important than ensuring an ample supply of trout.
But environment and sustainable development commissioner Julie Gelfand noted in a meeting with The Vancouver Sun and The Province editorial board this week that gaps in fish stock monitoring and management could lead to another fish stock suffering a similar fate to that of cod. A collapse in cod stocks shut down the 500-year northern cod fishery in 1992.
Among other problems the audit identified, third-party observers hired by fishing companies sometimes failed to comply with program requirements, but the DFO had little recourse other than revoking their designation, which would have deprived it of catch data.
The audit also said that budget cuts between 2011 and 2016, particularly for sustainable management, made it difficult for the DFO to carry out its mandate.
The good news is the DFO has acknowledged the deficiencies and either taken steps to remediate them or pledged to do so, making specific reference to developing or updating integrated fisheries management plans.
Next up on the commissioner’s audit schedule, Gelfand says, is a review of the federal government’s investment in clean technology. Her office, a group of 33 out of the AG staff of 565, will play a vital role in assessing the success (or failure) of the federal government’s programs to meet climate commitments made under the Paris agreement last December.
Performance audits like those undertaken by the commissioner of environment and sustainable development do not capture headlines the way financial audits of government spending do, but they are just as important. We need to keep an eye on them.