Fisheries Committee on Feb. 13th, 2024

[Annette Gibbons]

Our enforcement—

[Mel Arnold, Conservative, North Okanagan—Shuswap, BC]

Has it been able to stop it? Give me a yes or no.

[Annette Gibbons]

From a binary perspective, there is an illegal harvest. It's not all, certainly, but we believe our enforcement efforts—

[Mel Arnold, Conservative, North Okanagan—Shuswap, BC]

It hasn't been able to stop the illegal harvest, then.

[Annette Gibbons]

We don't stop it all, but we stop some—absolutely.

[Mel Arnold, Conservative, North Okanagan—Shuswap, BC]

Okay. There is an illegal harvest.

Why does there continue to be an illegal harvest?

[Annette Gibbons]

As we've noted, the incentives to poach in this area are very high, and the enforcement of it is extremely difficult. We certainly try. We have lots of resources on it, and we've increased the resources to try to make sure that we're doing everything we can.

However, because of the number of rivers and the fact that there's a big payoff if they can—

[Mel Arnold, Conservative, North Okanagan—Shuswap, BC]

Thank you.

The C and P officers enforce fisheries that are regulated under the auspices of the Fisheries Act. Is that correct?

[Annette Gibbons]

Do you mean the conservation and protection officers?

[Mel Arnold, Conservative, North Okanagan—Shuswap, BC]

Yes.

[Annette Gibbons]

They are subject to it, yes.

[Mel Arnold, Conservative, North Okanagan—Shuswap, BC]

They monitor and enforce fisheries authorized under the Fisheries Act.

[Annette Gibbons]

Yes.

[Mel Arnold, Conservative, North Okanagan—Shuswap, BC]

Are there any other types of authorizations under which harvesters could be operating?

[Annette Gibbons]

I'm not sure I understand your question.

[Mel Arnold, Conservative, North Okanagan—Shuswap, BC]

Are there any other types of authorizations outside of the Fisheries Act that could allow the harvest of elvers?

[Annette Gibbons]

The Fisheries Act is the enabling legislation, so....

[Mel Arnold, Conservative, North Okanagan—Shuswap, BC]

There are no other agreements that would enable the harvest of elvers.

[Annette Gibbons]

It's the Fisheries Act that provides the authority. We issue licences pursuant to the Fisheries Act. That is the vehicle for authorizing fisheries.

[Mel Arnold, Conservative, North Okanagan—Shuswap, BC]

Are there elvers being harvested under any other auspices, rights-based harvests or any other activity?

[Annette Gibbons]

No, not to my knowledge, sir. It would all be under the licences under the Fisheries Act. Indigenous fishing is under communal commercial licences under the Fisheries Act.

[Mel Arnold, Conservative, North Okanagan—Shuswap, BC]

I think I'll turn my remaining 45 seconds to Mr. Perkins.

[Rick Perkins, Conservative, South Shore—St. Margarets, NS]

I have a quick question in the short time. If I understand your logic, Deputy, by taking all the legal elvers off, any elvers you find are illegal and, therefore, your enforcement of that will stop the poaching. Is that the perverse logic you guys have?

[Annette Gibbons]

It will certainly not stop all poaching, but we expect that it will provide clarity and a deterrent for illegal poaching in general—yes.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ken McDonald]

Thank you, Mr. Perkins.

We'll go to Mr. Cormier for five minutes or less, please.