Translation of "cueillir des ressources aquatiques " (French → English) :

4. Calls on the Commission, in order to preserve living resources and ensure long-term environmental sustainability, to assess the possibility of establishing a network of closed areas in which all fishing activities are prohibited for a certain period of time in order to increase fish productivity and conserve living aquatic resources and the marine ecosystem;

− (PT) In reply to the honourable Member’s question on negotiations between the EU and Russia on quotas and their management in the future, the Council would like to stress that, although the Common Fisheries Policy specifically covers the conservation, management, and exploitation of living aquatic resources, Council Regulation (EC) No 2371/2002 of 20 December 2002 on the conservation and sustainable exploitation of fisheries resources under the Common Fisheries Policy defines ‘living aquatic resources’ as ‘available and accessible living marine aquatic species, including an ...[+++]adromous and catadromous species during their marine life’;

The term ‘aquatic resources’ is in need of further clarification in order to avoid the risk of identifying living aquatic resources as simply resources that are available for human exploitation under the Common Fisheries Policy.

Article 6. 5 of the Code, for example, recommends applying ‘a precautionary approach widely to conservation, management and exploitation of living aquatic resources [.]. The absence of adequate scientific information should not be used as a reason for postponing or failing to take measures to conserve target species’.

But it must be remembered that our freshwater resources represent only a fraction of the planet's total water resources.

Ms. Carolyn Bennett: Madam Speaker, this past summer being in Nunavut and recognizing the importance those people place on water and how important it is to their everyday lives and in terms of the international perspective they feel in terms of Canada's responsibility to make sure the world, the north and all the polar nations look after their water, I heartily agree with the hon. member.