Mr. Speaker, I rise to present a petition today from Canadians and Vancouver Islanders who are deeply concerned about ghost gear, which is abandoned, lost or discarded fishing gear. It is among the deadliest sources of plastic pollution.
These petitioners note that ghost gear kills fish; impacts wild Pacific salmon, marine mammals, seabirds and turtles; damages habitats; creates microplastics; and even hazards navigation and active harvesters, hurting coastal economies. They point out the dedicated funding for retrieval, prevention, repair and recycling works creates skilled jobs in partnership with indigenous communities, small businesses, fishers, harbour authorities and recyclers, especially in rural and remote regions.
The petitioners are calling for the reinstatement and expansion of the permanent and multi-year ghost gear fund, which was cut by the Liberal government.