I agree with you.
Evidence of meeting #14 for Fisheries and Oceans in the 40th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was fishermen.
Evidence of meeting #14 for Fisheries and Oceans in the 40th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was fishermen.
3:10 p.m.
Liberal
3:15 p.m.
Liberal
Lawrence MacAulay Liberal Cardigan, PE
That is a bit interesting.
Also, Jim, you mentioned the warden protection program. Or was it you, Danny? I would be interested in hearing more, because if we don't adhere to the rules, at least, then we would be in great difficulty.
Before I'm cut off, I'd like to welcome John Weston from British Columbia here. He should hear a bit of this, so when he sits in with his colleagues he'll be able to explain what the situation is for the fishermen in Atlantic Canada. Welcome to eastern Canada, John.
March 31st, 2009 / 3:15 p.m.
Conservative
John Weston Conservative West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country, BC
Thank you. It's a pleasure to be here, and forgive me for being late. It was beyond my control.
3:15 p.m.
Vice-President, Prince County Fishermen's Association
On the effort reduction, for example, this year when DFO came out with a 10-year plan, you had to come up with 10 points until 2018, I believe it is. To get some of these points...for example, one of them was to give up a number of traps, and for area 25 what they suggested to get one point was to give up 135 traps. That was to get one point. First of all, we're fishing with 250 traps. We're 50 fewer traps than everybody else, so if you take 135 of those traps out of the water, you're going to be fishing with 115 traps. You're wasting your time. You won't pay your fuel bill. You'll be going behind.
So that's not an option. Fishermen feel they just can't fish with fewer traps than 250.
3:15 p.m.
Liberal
Lawrence MacAulay Liberal Cardigan, PE
Danny, I take it you're not really big on the 10-point program.
3:15 p.m.
Vice-President, Prince County Fishermen's Association
You've got that right.
On the days off the season, they suggested two weeks--to shorten it by two weeks to get a couple of points. Well, we're fishing nine weeks now and we're barely surviving. How are we going to do it in seven weeks? We also have people employed. They have to get their weeks of work. If they are going to cut the season back, where are your workers going to be when you need a man?
I don't think a whole lot of thought is put into some of these things that are done. It is all done without consulting fishermen. We just don't believe it can work.
3:15 p.m.
Southern Kings and Queens Fishermen's Association
There were a couple of other elements in the plan, Lawrence, that were really troublesome. One was that there were two raises in carapace size of a millimetre each that the fishermen got absolutely no credit for.
Second, in Northumberland Strait they were talking about cutting out the window lobster fishing and taking them all together. If you went down to central Northumberland Strait below Charlottetown and the central strait up toward Borden, it would virtually eliminate that fishery. For those people, instead of 6,000 or 8,000 pounds a year, they'd be fishing for 3,000 or 4,000 pounds a year.
3:15 p.m.
Liberal
Lawrence MacAulay Liberal Cardigan, PE
Jim, that's why this is so important and that's why this committee hearing is so important. It's so they understand that if you put requirements in place to restore the fishery, if it destroys all the fishermen, then it's not a big help.
3:15 p.m.
Southern Kings and Queens Fishermen's Association
That's right.
You've grown potatoes for many years. This year, Lawrence, I have a new rule for you. This is going to help you. You are allowed to grow five acres of potatoes and you have to survive on that. Can you do it?
3:15 p.m.
Liberal
Lawrence MacAulay Liberal Cardigan, PE
I've dealt with some of those, and there's trouble there too, I can tell you.
3:15 p.m.
Southern Kings and Queens Fishermen's Association
What I'm saying is that the solutions have to be reasonable, viable, balanced, and made up between the fishermen and the department as partners and not be rammed down the fishermen's throats.
3:15 p.m.
Liberal
Lawrence MacAulay Liberal Cardigan, PE
That's what we're trying to do here. It's being partners and not criticizing one side or the other. It's just to make sure, because all governments can do things wrong, and the odd time they do things right. It's just so important that you hear from the industry.
I better let you go, but if you get a chance, get to the warden part.
3:15 p.m.
Southern Kings and Queens Fishermen's Association
I'll do the warden part in a moment.
3:15 p.m.
Liberal
Scott Andrews Liberal Avalon, NL
I have just one question, and we haven't heard much on it today talking about conservation and size, but it's on V-notching. It's something I've explored a little at home. Some areas use it quite successfully, but the next bay doesn't want to hear tell of it. Apparently the Americans use it and they go by that.
What are your thoughts, Danny, on the whole process of V-notching, and is it something we should be looking into a little more in depth in Atlantic Canada?
3:20 p.m.
Vice-President, Prince County Fishermen's Association
I don't really know a whole lot about it, but from what I hear, most fishermen in the area don't seem to agree with it. They don't think it's a good step. I can't really say yes or no, but I've heard that in some places where they do it they end up with some disease in the lobsters on account of it. There are pros and cons to it, I suppose, but I guess it's something that hasn't been really big in P.E.I.
3:20 p.m.
Southern Kings and Queens Fishermen's Association
That has been largely replaced by the window lobster. The larger lobsters and the females are put back and so it has the same effect. I think it's safe to say fishermen in this area generally are not supportive of the V-notching process.
Could I go back for a moment to Mr. MacAulay's question on the program with wardens?
3:20 p.m.
Southern Kings and Queens Fishermen's Association
It's a very important program. It started in the 1980s. It was the idea of a bunch of fishermen who came to the department and said, “Why can't we cooperate? You can't get more wardens. You can't get more officers. Your resources are continually being cut. Why can't we work at this in a cooperative effort?” Money was found, through my program actually; I was the chief of development at the time.
We went with a bare-bones program. It was not overly bloated. It was simply a vessel that was rigged up for patrolling. Training was given to various people who were hired. They worked with fisheries officers--and I'm giving you the shortened version--to enforce the various regulations. The officers themselves actually did the enforcing. The other people were the eyes. They reported and what not, but they didn't carry firearms, and they didn't rush in with bayonets and batons and everything. They were assistants to the fisheries officers, and they made the job easier. They could spell them off while they were watching for long periods of time and this sort of thing.
What it did, I think--and it's a great credit to the fishermen in the Tignish area, Seacow Pond area, who continue today to support that program through financial contributions--was bring the fishermen and the department closer together. And with their combined efforts, they were able to reduce poaching by a very large degree. I can't say that poaching has disappeared from the shore, but I can say with all confidence that it has been greatly reduced. I think the fishermen in that area deserve full credit for working with the officers.
Mr. MacAulay was wondering whether that type of program would work today. I say that it would work, and I think the department would be able to make the resources go a lot farther if they did work in partnership with the fishermen.
3:20 p.m.
Bloc
Raynald Blais Bloc Gaspésie—Îles-de-la-Madeleine, QC
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
Good afternoon Jim and Mr. Arsenault. With a name like that, I would assume that you understand French.
Just as an aside, where do the Arsenaults come from? There are many Arsenaults in Gaspésie and the Magdalen Islands.
3:20 p.m.
Vice-President, Prince County Fishermen's Association
We come from Tignish, P.E.I.
3:20 p.m.
Bloc
