Another avenue could be explored, that of giving the Department of Fisheries and Oceans an effective socio‑economic mandate by giving it the means to manage these aspects of the fishery. Since 1993, the DFO has had no real socio‑economic mandate.
Yet inshore fishers are the largest employer in Canada's coastal regions. In spite of that, no department has jurisdiction to study and manage this largest employer. The fishery is still worth over $7 billion in revenue to Canada, but neither the DFO nor any other department has a mandate in this area. If a department were to take an interest in the socio‑economic aspects of the fishery and what the sector represents, it would be a big step forward.