Evidence of meeting #48 for Fisheries and Oceans in the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was rivers.
A recording is available from Parliament.
12:55 p.m.
Conservative
12:55 p.m.
Conservative
Randy Kamp Conservative Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge—Mission, BC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
We were waiting for Mr. Leef, but he hasn't returned.
I just have one comment, and I think, one question. Then perhaps Mr. Sopuck, who always has lots of questions, if he has time....
I appreciate your input on this topic. We haven't talked about recreational fishing in general in New Brunswick, but almost entirely about salmon. But let me talk about salmon too.
My comment is this. Several times, I think, I've had the opportunity to lead the Canadian delegation to the North Atlantic Fisheries Ministers Conference, and at each of those, I've taken the opportunity to have a bilateral meeting with officials from Greenland on the topic of Atlantic salmon. As I think Mr. Bird has indicated, it is a challenge. It's a challenging conversation because they are well aware of what we do in Canada with respect to that resource, as well. But we continue to raise it and will again this year.
We've talked about what's happening in Canada and in the ocean, and that is a difficult problem to solve. Then, of course, it will take some money. Within Canada we've talked about the fact that in New Brunswick, for example, it's all catch and release this year—but not the same in Quebec. Those are both legal fisheries. But what kind of problem do we have with illegal and unreported fishing of Atlantic salmon in New Brunswick, for example, or elsewhere in Canada?
12:55 p.m.
Chairman Emeritus, Miramichi Salmon Association Inc.
There is a significant unreported catch that the DFO records each year. I can't remember the figure. I think it might be in the range of 100 tonnes. I must say that, for the life of me, I don't quite understand where that is happening. I could perhaps bother Mark to expand on that, but I don't think that poaching in the rivers is any longer a serious problem. I think incidental catch in the ocean is quite, well.... It's illegal to have possession of salmon without tags on them. And now, with total release, it's illegal to have possession of fish at all. So, I'm not sure where the unreported catch really exists. Do you know Mark?
12:55 p.m.
President, Miramichi Salmon Association Inc.
Well, I think there's an unreported catch from a lot of first nation fisheries where there's not the proper monitoring. There is still the occasional angler who will take a salmon and not tag it, but I think, as Mr. Bird said, that it is less now than it used to be. Certainly, over my lifetime it's gone down dramatically. There's a social conscience and people are aware that if they take a fish illegally, there's someone who's going to squeal on them or they'll be an outcast. There is that peer pressure now.
Also, there are incidental catches in commercial fisheries. If you're bringing in a gill net with a catch of mackerel and you get a salmon in it, you're supposed to return it dead back to the water. Most people say, “it's dead anyway. I'll keep it.” It happens.
So, there is an unreported catch. There is a mortality.
1 p.m.
Vice-Chairman, Miramichi Salmon Association Inc.
We also have farmed salmon, which has come on even stronger in the past few years. It's not worth people's while to go out and fish and take the chance of getting caught, when they can just buy farmed salmon at a reasonable price.
1 p.m.
Executive Director, Restigouche River Watershed Management Council Inc.
For the Restigouche, poaching is still an issue on some of the rivers. As an example, the Little Main Restigouche River is hardly reaching spawning escapement, mainly because of poaching in that area. As I said earlier, there are very few protections over this area, and there are signs of poaching, such as nets found along the river and boxes of worms.
It's also a concern that poaching is still a minor offence for the first instance. It takes, I think, two or three offences before it becomes a major offence under the laws in New Brunswick.
As an example also in Quebec, they are managing with that $1.15 million raised from the daily access. They have a task force to provide their own protection. They are operating fish barriers. They will hold the fish all summer until the spawning and will release the fish only in October. These rivers are showing very good, successful returns.
As an example, the Causapscal River in the Matapédia Valley has a spawning escapement of between 200% and 300% every year because of the success of the barrier. They will hold the fish there until the end. Compared with other rivers where there's no protection barrier or rivers that only have a barrier some years, such as the Northwest Upsalquitch, they will show much better results when a fence or barrier is operating on the river.
1 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rodney Weston
Thank you very much, Mr. Kamp.
Gentlemen, on behalf of the committee I'd like to take this opportunity to thank you once again for appearing before our committee today and taking the time to make presentations and to answer questions of committee members. It was greatly appreciated. Thank you, and have a great day.
There being no further business, this committee now stands adjourned.