Thank you.
Aquatic invasive species have been a long-time concern for me, particularly in our interior water systems, especially those that are so important to our salmon stocks. These typically those inland rivers and water systems that sustain our sockeye, the big chinook, and our coho. Those are of course feed species for southern resident killer whales.
As such, Mr. Chair, I'd like to introduce a motion:
That, whereas indigenous recreational and commercial fisheries are highly valued in Canada and whereas invasive species pose a significant threat to native aquatic species, such as salmon, whales, and the habitats that sustain them, and whereas invasive species pose a significant threat to ecosystems, the environment, and economies, I move that the Committee undertake a study to examine the aquatic invasive species component of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans oceans protection program and the objectives of examining the AIS resources and mandate to assess: a) DFO's resources dedicated to preventing and eliminating aquatic invasive species and b) whether such resources are distributed across Canada in an equitable and consistent manner and whether the AIS program has the resources required to be effective in its mandate.
