C-251Conservation of Fish Stocks and Management of Pinnipeds Act
An Act respecting the development of a federal framework on the conservation of fish stocks and management of pinnipeds
Private member's bill, introduced in the House of Commons on February 9, 2022
- Status
- Defeated at second reading in the House of Commons
What it does
Requires the Fisheries and Oceans Minister to develop and report on a federal framework for conserving fish stocks and managing pinnipeds.
What it does
- Requires the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, with provinces, Indigenous governing bodies and other stakeholders, to develop a federal framework on fish stock conservation and pinniped management.
- Requires the framework to include yearly pinniped censuses, measures to conserve marine ecosystems, and rules to manage pinniped populations at acceptable levels.
- Encourages anti-predator measures around fishing facilities, fishing infrastructure and spawning areas, and year-round control of pinnipeds when population levels are exceeded.
- Addresses trade barriers on seal products to support the sale and trade of seal products by local businesses.
- Creates programs and projects, mainly in rural, coastal and Indigenous communities, to promote making and selling pinniped products.
- Requires the Minister to table the framework report within one year of coming into force, and to table and publish annual reports on the framework's effectiveness.
Who it affects
- Minister of Fisheries and Oceans
- Provincial fisheries officials
- Indigenous governing bodies
- Fishers and fishing facilities
- Rural and coastal communities
- Indigenous communities
- Local seal product businesses
Where it is
House of Commons
First reading
Completed.
Second reading
Defeated here. Defeated
Committee
Not reached.
Report stage
Not reached.
Third reading
Not reached.
Senate
First reading
Not reached.
Second reading
Not reached.
Committee
Not reached.
Third reading
Not reached.
Royal assent
Royal assent
Not reached.
Introduced by an MP who is not a minister. These bills compete in a lottery for debate time, and most do not become law. How a bill becomes law
How the House voted
2nd reading of Bill C-251, An Act respecting the development of a federal framework on the conservation of fish stocks and management of pinnipeds
Vote 151,
Failed
150 yeato175 nay · 6 paired
Party breakdown for vote 151 Party Position Yea Nay Did not vote Liberal Nay2 broke ranks 2 148 9 Conservative Yea 116 0 3 Bloc Yea 31 0 1 NDP Nay 0 25 0 Green Nay 0 2 0 Independent Yea 1 0 0 Total 150 175
What MPs said
Each party’s first speech on this bill in the House, from Hansard. Excerpts are the speaker’s opening sentences, unedited.
LiberalKevin Lamoureux· April 28, 2022
“What this bill is attempting to achieve is some form of a more detailed management system that would ultimately provide additional assurances. The government itself, in recognizing the special situation that is taking place in Atlantic Canada, brought together the Atlantic seal task team.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.caConservativeClifford Small· April 28, 2022
“As such, I stand today for the second reading of my bill, Bill C-251, an act respecting the development of a federal framework on the conservation of fish stocks and management of pinnipeds. Pinnipeds are a group of marine animals that include seals, sea lions and walruses.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.caBlocCaroline Desbiens· April 28, 2022
“The Bloc Québécois supports the principle of Bill C-251, an act respecting the development of a federal framework on the conservation of fish stocks and management of pinnipeds. That said, it all depends on the content and the application of that content.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.caNDPLisa Marie Barron· April 28, 2022
“I thank my colleague for bringing forward this bill today. It is an honour to rise today to speak to Bill C-251.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.ca
Read the source
LEGISinfo status: Bill defeated. Bill data from LEGISinfo, votes from openparliament.ca and the House of Commons. Last updated October 13, 2026.