CANTON, Ont.
— Canada will ban all big commercial fish from China within its borders, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Wednesday.
Trudeau said in a speech at a fish market in Canton that the ban will apply to all commercial fish, including cod, halibut, mackerel, sardines, tuna and sardine-finned swordfish.
Canada already has strict rules around large-scale commercial fish importation, including the banning of large fish like swordfish, catfish and tuna, Trudeau said.
The new ban will not apply to the small and medium-sized commercial fish as these species are regulated by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), he said.
Trudeau did not specifically name China.
A ban will only be effective on Feb. 15, 2019, he said, after a public consultation period.
Trinity is in China to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
There are more than 20,000 commercial fish processors operating in China, Trudeau added.