Overview of the Promise

During his campaign for prime minister, Mark Carney pledged to protect marine life and clean up Canada's shores, with a specific focus on addressing ghost gear—lost or abandoned fishing equipment that harms marine ecosystems. The promise outlined efforts to clean up ghost gear using new innovations, including AI-powered data analysis and satellite imagery, GPS-enabled buoys, RFID tags, and acoustic sensors for real-time retrieval. These measures were intended to reduce harm to marine habitats, protect fish stocks, and ensure the safety of fishermen and women.

Actions Taken by the Carney Government

Since assuming office in early 2025, Prime Minister Mark Carney's government has built on existing initiatives while emphasizing innovation in marine protection. In February 2025, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) hosted the Second International Fishing Gear Innovation Summit in Moncton, New Brunswick, which focused on developing whale-safe gear and methods to prevent, retrieve, and recycle ghost gear. This event directly aligns with the promise's emphasis on innovations to tackle ghost gear.

Further, in March 2025, Carney met with representatives from Marine Thinking in Halifax to discuss advancements in marine technology, highlighting his administration's commitment to driving innovation in the sector. The government has continued funding through the Ghost Gear Program, which was established prior to Carney's tenure but has seen sustained support, including investments in projects that retrieve and manage abandoned gear. By mid-2025, reports indicated progress in recycling ghost gear into products like plant pots and park benches, contributing to cleaner shores.

On the broader front, Carney announced initiatives in April 2025 to protect Canada's nature, biodiversity, and water resources, framing these as defenses against external threats and climate change. This included commitments to marine conservation targets, with Canada reporting 15.54% of its ocean areas conserved as of June 2025, on track toward a 30% goal by 2030.

Progress on Specific Innovations

The promise highlighted several technologies for ghost gear cleanup. AI-powered data analysis and satellite imagery have been explored through the innovation summit and partnerships like the one with Marine Thinking, which specializes in marine tech innovations. GPS-enabled buoys and acoustic sensors are part of ongoing fishery management measures, including those for protecting North Atlantic right whales, where gear tracking helps prevent entanglements in real time.

RFID tags for gear identification have been integrated into discussions at the summit and DFO programs, aiming to enable quicker retrieval. These efforts have led to tangible outcomes, such as the cleanup of over 600 tonnes of lost gear in areas affected by past hurricanes, reducing harm to marine habitats and protecting fish stocks. Additionally, these innovations contribute to fishermen's safety by minimizing risks associated with entangled or hazardous gear.

Legislation and Policy Developments

No new standalone legislation has been passed specifically for ghost gear under Carney's government as of August 2025. However, the administration has leveraged existing frameworks like the Species at Risk Act and the Ghost Gear Action Plan, which received over $58.3 million in funding from 2019 to 2024 and continues to operate. In 2025, fishery management measures were updated to include gear innovations for marine protection, effectively implementing policy through regulatory adjustments rather than new laws. Proposals for enhanced funding and international collaborations were discussed at the February summit, but formal legislative proposals remain pending.

Challenges and Path Forward

While initiatives are advancing, full implementation of all specified innovations across Canada's vast coastlines is ongoing. To consider this promise kept, the government would need to demonstrate widespread deployment of these technologies, such as nationwide adoption of GPS buoys and RFID tags, leading to measurable reductions in ghost gear incidents and verified improvements in marine health metrics by the end of Carney's term. If funding is cut, international partnerships falter, or progress stalls without scaling up these innovations by 2030, the promise could be at risk of being broken.

Overall Status

This promise is in progress.