Merci. Thank you very much.
It is a pleasure for us to be here to provide some background on recreational fisheries in Canada. We understand that you're interested in that issue and looking at doing a study on it. We'll speak to it, as well as to the role that Fisheries and Oceans Canada plays in the management of recreational fisheries.
Permit me to introduce my colleagues who are witnesses with me today. Melinda Lontoc-Roy is the policy and program advisor in the fisheries protection program. She's responsible for delivering the recreational fisheries conservation program.
Andrew McMaster is a senior fisheries officer. He's in fisheries resource management and has a lead responsibility here in Ottawa for recreational fisheries.
Alain Vézina is acting director general for our science sector, our ecosystems and oceans science.
Recreational fisheries hold significant value to Canada. Our department conducted a national survey on recreational fishing in Canada. The survey takes place every five years through collaboration between federal, provincial and territorial governments. The most recent survey was in 2010, and it shows that almost 3.3 million people—or almost one in very 10 Canadians—fished recreationally in Canada in 2010, spending over $8 billion related to their recreational fishing activities. This includes over 400,000 foreign anglers, who come from all over the world to enjoy the experience of recreational fishing in Canada.
Recreational fishing takes place in every province and territory, and plays a key socio-economic role in many communities. A number of studies address the value of recreational fishing. For example, an economic impact study commissioned by the Quebec Atlantic Salmon Federation showed that the value of just that one species is over $250 million, with anglers spending over $125 million annually.
And Atlantic salmon fishing activities supports almost 4,000 full-time equivalent jobs in 2010.
It's important to highlight that federal, provincial, and territorial jurisdictions all have responsibilities for managing recreational fisheries in Canada.
While managing fishing activity, including recreational fishing, falls under federal jurisdiction, legislation, and regulations, the provinces and territories effectively manage most inland and freshwater fisheries. They control access in their waters through licensing regimes, and in many cases have the responsibility to manage inland fisheries through informal or formal agreements with Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
While there is a significant marine recreational fishery in Canada, it really is these inland freshwater fisheries that have the most significant activity. The 2010 survey that I mentioned showed that the most caught species nationally was walleye, followed by trout, perch, bass, and pike. Marine species, such as salmon, halibut, etc., were further down the list.
While provinces and territories effectively manage the freshwater fisheries for the most part, the federal government manages marine or tidal fisheries. We also manage fisheries, such as salmon, that are found in both marine and freshwater environments, though in those cases the provinces issue the licences.
A unique arrangement exists in a couple of areas. In Quebec, for example, the Government of Quebec has the authority for managing recreational fishing in both inland and tidal waters. In Newfoundland, it's different again. It's basically all federally managed, both freshwater and marine, though the province issues licences.
With all of these jurisdictional issues, we need effective cooperation. We seek and do manage to have effective cooperation among all relevant jurisdictions to ensure that our natural resources are properly managed.
Our department and other governments apply a broad range of tools to manage recreational fisheries to ensure their sustainability. ln most recreational fisheries, licences are required to permit any recreational fishing activity. There are exceptions to this, including many of the marine species in Atlantic Canada and many of the shellfish recreational harvests. As with commercial fisheries, recreational fisheries have many other types of management measures to control how, where, and when fishing takes place. These include a fishing season, catch-and-release requirements, daily or seasonal catch and retention limits, tags, size restrictions, gear restrictions, etc. We apply these based on the conservation requirements of the various fisheries, and we seek to work with fisheries groups in terms of what requirements are appropriate and how to apply them.
I'll give you a couple of examples. The ling cod fishery in some areas off B.C. limits to 10 fish per season, with a minimum length of 65 cm. The recreational striped bass fishery in New Brunswick limits anglers to retaining and possessing only one fish per day during limited retention periods. It requires fishers to use a single non-offset barbless hook when using bait and restricts retention only to fish between 55 cm and 65 cm in length.
The recreational groundfish in Newfoundland and Labrador is restricted to two specific fishery seasons, which allow a total of 32 days of fishing. There is a limit of five per day. Retention of Atlantic halibut, wolffish, and sharks is prohibited. There are gear restrictions, such as the number of hooks, and the list goes on in terms of different rules for different fisheries.
Overall, however, it's an $8-billion activity. Recreational fishing makes an important contribution to Canada's economy.
Even though some of the trends—and I can speak to that if you wish—show that there are fewer people involved in recreational fishing than there were a generation ago, the recreational fishing community is passionate and active, and certainly engaged with our department.
Along with recreational groups and other governments, we are always looking for new opportunities, new potentials, and new partnerships.
Governments invest significantly in the science and management of recreational fisheries. It is quite difficult to tease out exactly how much we spend on recreational fishing. Stock assessments done for fish apply to and benefit both commercial and recreational fisheries. We maintain a regular program of stock assessment, for example relating to key recreational harvested fish species, which are also harvested commercially: Pacific salmon, halibut, groundfish, mackerel, sharks, tuna, shellfish, etc.
Our fisheries managers work closely with provinces, territories, and all stakeholders to implement the sustainable management measures. The department has recently begun to use social media, Twitter and other modes to reach anglers in new and innovative ways.
Our enforcement officers work hard to ensure compliance with the rules, which is a challenge in recreational fisheries, monitoring and enforcing harvest activities throughout the country.
The provincial and territorial governments also play an important role in enforcement. There is cross-designation for enforcement, which applies to recreational as well as to other fisheries.
In recent years, the department has also facilitated the development of new recreational fishing opportunities, such as the charter groundfish and tuna industries, striped bass derbies, and recreational tourism initiatives, such as lobster and crab charters. These opportunities provide important socio-economic benefits to several local communities in Atlantic Canada and Quebec.
Another important initiative is our partnerships with angling, watershed and conservation groups through the recreational fisheries conservation partnerships program. Launched in 2013, it manages the distribution of $25 million over three years to support the restoration of fisheries habitat through partnerships with local groups.
The program promotes multi-partner initiatives and supports projects led by recreational fishing and angling groups, as well as conservation organizations, aimed at improving Canada's recreational fisheries. These groups have established expertise and collaborative approaches in fisheries conservation, and are well-positioned to deliver habitat restoration projects that benefit recreational fisheries.
Program funding allows program recipients to take action to restore, rebuild, and rehabilitate compromised or threatened fisheries habitats in areas that are important to the sustainability and productivity of Canada's recreational fisheries.
We also work with groups across the country such as the Pacific Salmon Foundation and the Atlantic Salmon Conservation Foundation. We have the Pacific salmon conservation stamp program. All of that enables partnerships on both coasts.
Through our programs and through our consultative arrangements, the department has important relationships with many angling and recreational groups. This is particularly the case, I would say, on the west coast where we work very closely with the Sport Fishing Advisory Board. We also have important relationships with angling and conservation groups across the country, groups such as the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters, various provincial wings of the Canadian Wildlife Federation, and through our work on the fisheries protection program. The recreational fisheries conservation partnerships program has enabled us to broaden and deepen these relationships. One of the most active groups is on Atlantic salmon with the Atlantic Salmon Federation, but there are many other recreational and local conservation groups where we are all concerned about decreasing stocks, particularly in the southern ranges where Atlantic salmon occur.
It's for this reason that Minister Shea announced the creation of a ministerial advisory committee on Atlantic salmon on December 18, 2014. The intention of this committee is to combine the knowledge of individuals with recognized expertise on Atlantic salmon and provide recommendations to the minister on prioritizing conservation efforts in the near and medium term.
In addition to our work to further develop relationships with recreational groups, we know there are areas in which we can make improvements in how we manage these fisheries. Specifically, we are considering mechanisms to improve the data we collect on recreational harvest in tidal waters, the number of participants, the level of harvest, etc. New industry approaches are being developed on the west coast, for example, to improve education and awareness of the importance of effective catch reporting.
I mentioned earlier the survey of recreational fishing in Canada. We're currently coordinating the next version, the next iteration of this, for 2015. The results will be out in the latter half of 2016. It provides comprehensive information on our recreational fisheries across the country: federal, provincial, and territorial. It shows trends that are very interesting to look at year over year over year: the types of fish caught, the average age, the gender of fishermen, the expenditures that are spent, the fishing effort, and the different types of management measures in place.
In closing, I do want to reiterate the importance of the recreational fishery across the country. While much of our department's traditional focus has been on commercial fisheries—and we will continue to maintain that important focus for those who depend on the fishery for their livelihood—we know that the cultural and socioeconomic benefits from recreational fishing are important to Canada and to Canadians. They make an important contribution both to Canada's culture and to Canada's economy.
Recent financial and relationship investments by the department underline that importance. We'll continue to make those investments. We'll continue to work with our provincial and territorial regulatory partners to enable a vibrant and sustainable recreational fishery in Canada.
We're very pleased to take your questions on this important matter today.
Thank you.