As elsewhere in the world, fisheries in the Canadian Atlantic are in a state of crisis, and this raises the question as to whether Canadian fisheries are environmentally responsible. To be considered as such, they should not target threatened species, nor operate in fragile habitats; they should be pursuable indefinitely over time; and they should takes into account their impacts on the environment and on other species. A framework for analysing fisheries, leading to eco-certification, was specified by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), and is implemented by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC). To be certified, a fishery should abide by 3 principles: 1) the resource should exhibit a health population status, and be well monitored and managed; 2) it activities should not adversely impact the ecosystem; and 3) the management system should be clear, efficient and participative. The certification process is costly and uncertain. In Québec, the snow crab fishery in the southern Gulf of St Lawrence is certified, as are the northern shrimp and lobster fisheries. It will be more difficult to obtain certification for other fisheries, but we should not ignore our fish. The fisheries of today are not the same as they were 20 years ago: mentalities and techniques have evolved, as have management methods. Although nothing is perfect, it should be noted that important progress has been made.