The Great Lakes Fishery Commission says it’s in crisis and is acusing the Canadian government of being in violation of its treaty with the United States.
The commission is calling on Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to fix how Canada supports the commission.
A 1954 treaty between the U.S. and Canada dictates how the two countries work together to maintain the great lakes fishery and protect fish from sea lamprey.
But Marc Gaden, deputy executive secretary of the Great Lakes Fishery Commission, said Canada is not holding up its end of the treaty.
Gaden told WCMU that Canada’s department of Fisheries and Oceans isn’t fulfilling the needs of the commission.
"The department is not driven to maintain the treaty. The department is there to deliver Canadian Fisheries Policy. And it's a fundamental structural problem," said Gaden.
Gaden says the commission’s issues can be fixed with Trudeau’s signature. He says Canada’s department of Global Affairs will be a better fit for the commission.
The office of Fisheries and Oceans Canada didn’t immediately respond to our request for comment.
