The Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), British Columbia's Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, the commercial groundfish fishing industry, specific conservation groups, First Nations, coastal communities, labour and sports fishing groups have been invited to work together to create a comprehensive and integrated approach to the management of the commercial groundfish fishery on the west coast of Canada.

The Commercial Groundfish Integrated Advisory Committee (CGIAC) has been formed to give advice to DFO, and to give advice to and receive it from the Commercial Industry Caucus (CIC) to guide the development of this groundfish initiative. 

The CIC, a member of the CGIAC, is comprised of fishing industry representatives directly involved in the commercial groundfish fisheries.  Representing an historic gathering of the diverse interests of the commercial west coast fishery, the CIC is committed to developing processes and structures that ensure:

• Protection and monitoring of all rockfish and groundfish species
• Conservation measures and economic viability
• Allowable catches according to established species-by-area-specific management
• Fair access to rockfish and groundfish stocks
• Accountability for all rockfish and groundfish caught
• Monitoring standards that promote individual accountability and protection of groundfish stocks
• Responsiveness to shifting concerns regarding all groundfish species

In support of this important west coast groundfish fishery initiative, the CIC is committed to working together in a constructive, proactive and responsible manner.

Commercial licence holders who would like information about this process should direct their questions to their sector representatives.