Fisheries and Oceans Canada

What Fisheries and Oceans Canada does

Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) is a Canadian federal government department, headquartered in Ottawa and led by the Minister of Fisheries (the Honourable Joanne Thompson), with a Parliamentary Secretary (Ernie Klassen). Founded in 1868 and employing 5,001–10,000 staff, DFO is the sole statutory steward of Canada's fisheries and marine resources under the Fisheries Act and Species at Risk Act. It regulates commercial and recreational fishing, issues aquaculture licences, manages marine protected areas, protects fish habitat, enforces conservation measures, and delivers maritime services including through the Canadian Coast Guard (which was integrated into the Department of National Defence as of 2 September 2025). DFO serves commercial fishers, recreational anglers, aquaculture operators, Indigenous communities, and the marine science community through 16 regional offices across Maritimes, Gulf, Newfoundland and Labrador, Quebec, Pacific, and Central and Arctic regions, and through the National Online Licensing System.

DFO's core technical assets centre on the National Aquatic Animal Health Laboratory System — four ISO 17025-accredited laboratories at Nanaimo, Winnipeg, Moncton, and the Gulf Biocontainment Unit in Charlottetown — which provide diagnostic testing using virology, histology, tissue culture, molecular biology, and quantitative PCR assays, plus Level 3 containment for exotic pathogen research, one of few such aquatic facilities globally. The department also operates the Clean, Drain, Dry and Decontaminate aquatic invasive species programme (legislated across provinces), Small Craft Harbours infrastructure, real-time tides/currents/water-level data services, nautical charts, an interactive Shellfish Harvesting Map, and a maritime satellite surveillance capability through MDA's CHORUS constellation for IUU fishing enforcement.

DFO does not sell products or services commercially. The department is funded through Canadian federal parliamentary appropriations, and its pricing notes explicitly state no commercial pricing model exists. It distributes services through direct digital channels (fishing-peche.dfo-mpo.gc.ca, recfish-pechesportive.dfo-mpo.gc.ca, tides.gc.ca, charts.gc.ca) and a national network of regional offices with toll-free licensing and enforcement hotlines. Revenue-like figures in the input ($8.5 billion in 2025 Canadian fish and seafood exports, $3 billion+ for lobster, $6.1 billion to the United States at 72% export share) describe the industry DFO regulates, not departmental revenue.

Name

Fisheries and Oceans Canada

Legal name

Fisheries and Oceans Canada

Website

https://dfo-mpo.gc.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1868

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Fisheries and Oceans Canada is a Canadian federal government department that regulates commercial and recreational fishing, aquaculture, and marine protected areas, and operates a national network of aquatic animal health laboratories and maritime services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Government Fisheries Management

NAICS

Fishing (1141), Aquaculture (1125), Finfish Farming and Fish Hatcheries (112511), Navigational Services to Shipping (488330)

SIC

Fishing, Hunting And Trapping (900), Water Transportation (4400), Ship & Boat Building & Repairing (3730)

akta.pro primary industry

Agriculture, Fisheries & Food Administration (BPAIAAAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Coastal & Marine Resources Administration (Oceans, Fisheries, Shorelines) (BPAIAMAI), Marine & Freshwater Conservation (BPAGAGAE), Maritime & Port Authorities (Public Ports, Harbors, Ferries Terminals) (BPAIALAF)

Keywords

• Fisheries management
• Marine conservation
• Aquaculture regulation
• Hydrographic services
• Marine scientific research

Headquarters

HQ city

Ottawa

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) is the Canadian federal department responsible for managing Canada's fisheries, oceans, and marine resources. It regulates commercial and recreational fishing, oversees aquaculture operations, protects aquatic ecosystems and species at risk, conducts marine scientific research, and provides navigational, hydrographic, and tidal information services to mariners and coastal communities.

Product overview

Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) is a federal government department, not a commercial product company. DFO provides a broad portfolio of regulatory, scientific, and public service programs rather than a unified software product. Core offerings include the National Online Licensing System for commercial fisheries management, the Tidal Waters Sport Fishing Licence portal for recreational fishing in British Columbia, the Clean Drain Dry aquatic invasive species prevention campaign, the Shellfish Harvesting Map for public health monitoring, the Canadian Shellfish Sanitation Program, Small Craft Harbours infrastructure, nautical charts and hydrographic products, real-time tides/currents/water levels data, fishery openings and closures tracking, the Aquatic Species at Risk recovery program, aquaculture licensing, the National Aquatic Animal Health Laboratory System (ISO 17025 accredited), marine protected areas management, and maritime satellite surveillance for IUU fishing detection via the MDA CHORUS system. These are government programs and services, not commercial software products in the traditional sense.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• National Online Licensing System (NOLS)

Quantifiable outcome

• Compliance rate exceeding 99% for mandatory 10-knot vessel speed limits in Gulf of St. Lawrence (2025)
• +2 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Canadian Whale InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 June 2026Partnership with DFO aerial observers for North Atlantic right whale rescue efforts when entangled whales are spotted in Canadian waters.
• Oceana CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 May 2026Partnership on Canada's first national assessment of 16 federally managed forage fish stocks, finding that more than 80% are not healthy. DFO criticized for managing herring, capelin, and mackerel in ways that risk fisheries.
• University of British ColumbiaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 February 2026Six-year study informing Eagle Nook Resort conservation practices aligned with DFO Chinook salmon regulations for single barbless hooks in Strait of Juan de Fuca.
• First Nations of British ColumbiacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 September 2025Collaboration on science advice for a potential new marine protected area off Vancouver Island where an octopus nursery was discovered. Partnership to fulfill Canada's pledge to protect 30% of oceans by 2030.
• Oceana CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2025Joint scientific expeditions in July and October 2025 discovering ancient coral forests, deep-sea canyons, and sea pen fields along the Southern Newfoundland Slope. Most detailed scientific documentation of this deep-sea ecosystem to date.
• MDA Space Ltd.coreTechnology or Integration · 30 June 2025Contract extension for maritime satellite surveillance data and analytics for dark vessel detection services. Will utilize MDA CHORUS next-generation Earth observation constellation launching mid-2026. Aligns with Canada's Indo-Pacific Strategy and G7 commitments on maritime security.
• University of VictoriacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 June 2025Research partnership for Canada's first national assessment of kelp forests through the Blue Carbon Canada initiative, studying carbon capture and export potential of kelp forests. Funded by federal and NGO partners.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries: Norway's national fisheries administration responsible for commercial fishing licensing, aquaculture oversight, and marine resource management — directly comparable regulatory and resource management mandate.
• NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration): The US federal agency responsible for fisheries management, marine protected areas, marine mammal protection, hydrographic charting, and ocean science — the closest international peer to DFO with near-identical mandate scope.
• Cefas (Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, UK): UK government agency providing marine science, fisheries advice, and aquatic animal health diagnostics — directly comparable to DFO's National Aquatic Animal Health Laboratory System and science advisory functions.
• AFMA (Australian Fisheries Management Authority): Australian federal agency managing commercial fisheries, aquaculture regulation, and species protection — comparable federal fisheries stewardship role with similar commercial fishing licence and quota administration.
• Ministry for Primary Industries (Fisheries New Zealand): New Zealand's fisheries directorate within MPI manages commercial quota, recreational fishing, and aquaculture — functionally parallel to DFO's commercial fisheries and aquaculture branches.
• Marine Management Organisation (UK): UK body managing marine licensing, fisheries enforcement, and marine protected areas — closely comparable to DFO's licensing systems, conservation enforcement, and marine planning portfolio.

Broad incumbents

• European Commission DG MARE: Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries sets EU-wide fisheries policy, quotas, and conservation rules — comparable scope to DFO but operating at supranational level across 27 member states.

Others

• NAFO (Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization): International fisheries management organisation where DFO is a key contracting party managing straddling stocks — comparable in regulatory reach over Canada's high-seas fisheries and a direct counterpart for DFO's international fisheries obligations.
• FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Department: UN body setting global fisheries and aquaculture policy, codes of conduct, and statistics — comparable in scientific advisory and international policy leadership role, but at global rather than national level.

Regional players

• Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management (HaV): Sweden's national agency for marine and water management covering fisheries, aquaculture, and marine environment — comparable mandate structure and regulatory profile, though operating in a much smaller geographic jurisdiction.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/FishOceansCAN
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@FisheriesCanada
• Facebookfacebook.com/FisheriesOceansCanada
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fisheries-and-oceans-canada
• Instagraminstagram.com/FisheriesOceansCAN

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments9 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Fisheries and Oceans Canada