My name is Léonard Poirier and I am going to speak on behalf of the Association des pêcheurs propriétaires des Îles-de-la-Madeleine.
First of all, I would like to welcome you and to thank you for having come to the Magdalen Islands. We do not often have the opportunity to welcome the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans. If memory serves me well, I would say this happens approximately every 10 years. It is all the more appreciated as a result. However, we would like once again to take advantage of your presence in order to discuss a broader range of subjects. The seal hunt is really very important, but we also have problems in other areas of the fishery. This is why we would like to take the time to review the situation of the fisheries in general with you.
As far as the seal hunt is concerned, we tabled a three-page document with you. We perhaps did not make the procedure quite clear at the outset. I know we do not have much time, but I think we have to make a reference to this. In terms of procedure, once our association's presentation is finished, we will move to the second association and then to the third. If you have any questions at that point, you will be able to address them directly to the hunters who are here with us.
You are certainly aware of the fact that here in the Magdalen Islands, our economy depends greatly on fishering and hunting. Currently, seal harvesting is quite a dynamic sector. Several projects are underway that have great potential. There are various avenues that could also be of interest. The Maritime regions have suffered the consequences of the collapse of the groundfish stocks. The seal hunt therefore provides important economic input for us. In the past, training programs were offered to the fishermen. The hunting methods used treat the animals with respect. They have nothing to do with the smear campaigns through which certain lobby groups try and make us look like the bad guys.
Certain factors affect fish species, including the predation of groundfish by seals, a subject that you know very well. You have heard a lot of talk about this, including during your trip. We share your perspective, that is, that seals are major predators of groundfish. What is equally important for us at this time is the effect of this predation on crustaceans and other pelagic species.
We know that the latest estimates of seal stocks indicate a very abundant level for all species. This population consumes an impressive quantity of fish, crustaceans and other pelagic species. In our case, we are talking particularly about herring and mackerel. Seal predation is a very significant cause of cod mortality. Its annual consumption is much greater than the commercial harvest in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. These facts are recognized by people who monitor this situation closely.
According to the latest scientific estimates, the annual consumption of cod could be between 19,000 and 39,000 tonnes in zone 4TVn. The situation is no doubt similar in zone 4RS3Pn. The annual consumption of cod by seals is several times greater than the commercial harvest. As you probably know, our fiishing area, which affects us the most, is 4T. The total allowable catch over the last year for this area was 4,000 metric tonnes, which is very little.
The damage caused by seals is one of the main reasons for the poor state of the groundfish stocks and above all for the absence of any recovery. In this regard, you no doubt are aware that the Fisheries Resource Conservation Council, or FRCC, which advises the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, is of the opinion that the recovery of the groundfish stocks is more or less impossible in the short or medium term, given the abundance of seals in the gulf. In one of its reports, the FRCC recommends in particular that the seal herds be reduced to levels that would ensure the long-term survival of the seal industry, and that would furthermore be consistent with the objectives of the recovery of the groundfish stocks. The Quebec fishing industry overall, like the FRCC, is convinced that seal predation is preventing the recovery of the two main cod stocks in the north and in the south of the gulf.
We also have a few recommendations to make. In the document we tabled, the recommendations are on one page and the conclusion is a half page long.
I will give the floor to Jérémie, who is a hunter, to speak to you about our group's recommendations.