Fisheries Committee on April 23rd, 2012
Evidence of meeting #33 for Fisheries and Oceans in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was lakes.
A recording is available from Parliament.
On the agenda
MPs speaking
Also speaking
- Greg Farrant Manager, Government Affairs and Policy, Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters
- John Van Rooyen Hatchery Manager, Board of Directors, Bluewater Anglers
- Terry Quinney Provincial Manager, Fish and Wildlife Services, Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters
- Kristen Courtney Committee Researcher
5:05 p.m.
Hatchery Manager, Board of Directors, Bluewater Anglers
No, they prevent themselves.
5:05 p.m.
Liberal
Lawrence MacAulay Cardigan, PE
From where I come from we have the blue mussel, and we do have problems with invasive species in that area too. I believe that some of our bigger problems have been boats, one way or another. It could be DFO, pleasure, or whatever. Is that the bigger problem you have in the Great Lakes? Is that where your invasive species come in, or do they flow in? Which is the biggest problem you have?
You talked about cleaning boats, spraying boats, and this type of thing. Is that one of your major problems?
5:05 p.m.
Hatchery Manager, Board of Directors, Bluewater Anglers
The major problem, as I see it, is that the invasive species come in on the ocean boats. They come in ballast water. They come in attached to hulls.
5:05 p.m.
Liberal
5:05 p.m.
Hatchery Manager, Board of Directors, Bluewater Anglers
That's correct.
5:05 p.m.
Liberal
Lawrence MacAulay Cardigan, PE
You were stating to the committee that there should be a recommendation that something be done in this area.
5:05 p.m.
Hatchery Manager, Board of Directors, Bluewater Anglers
That the boats be stopped and we go in to transshipping. We have the technology. We have trucks. We have rail. We have lake boats. Transship the materials and keep the ocean boats in the ocean.
5:05 p.m.
Liberal
Lawrence MacAulay Cardigan, PE
I'm not sure what that would entail. I'd say a fair bit of money, but you are talking about billions of dollars on the other end.
5:05 p.m.
Conservative
5:05 p.m.
Liberal
5:05 p.m.
Conservative
5:05 p.m.
NDP
Fin Donnelly New Westminster—Coquitlam, BC
So hard done by.
Thank you, Mr. Chair, and again thank you to our presenters and our witnesses.
Mr. Quinney, I have a couple of questions. I think—and you can correct this—you mentioned the U.S. funding split for invasives is roughly about two-thirds.
5:05 p.m.
Provincial Manager, Fish and Wildlife Services, Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters
For sea lamprey.
April 23rd, 2012 / 5:05 p.m.
NDP
Fin Donnelly New Westminster—Coquitlam, BC
Sea lamprey only.
Where I'm going is to try to find out what the role of the United States should be. In your opinion, should it be in fact a greater role than what it currently is? The reason I say that is that I'm assuming the threat of invasive species comes from the United States. Is that the majority, or is it a 50-50 split with U.S. and Canada? What's the split that exists?
5:05 p.m.
Provincial Manager, Fish and Wildlife Services, Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters
Sir, the reason I'm having difficulty with your question is that hopefully the intent of your question is to get at cause and effect. If we can identify the cause then maybe we can treat the effect more directly, or better, as opposed to placing blame here. We are all in this together, and as Mr. Van Rooyen has—