Evidence of meeting #145 for Fisheries and Oceans in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was million.
A video is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Jonathan Wilkinson Liberal North Vancouver, BC
No. I think that this is, as I said, a comprehensive issue. It's industrial development over long periods of time, it's climate change—
Conservative
Mel Arnold Conservative North Okanagan—Shuswap, BC
You said no, but the fisheries are taking the biggest [Inaudible—Editor].
Liberal
Jonathan Wilkinson Liberal North Vancouver, BC
It's the management of the fishery, and we need to ensure that we're taking a comprehensive approach to address all of those issues, which is exactly what we have done.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ken McDonald
Thank you, Mr. Arnold.
I'll now go to Mr. Rogers for five minutes or less, please.
Liberal
Churence Rogers Liberal Bonavista—Burin—Trinity, NL
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Minister, for being here, and to all of your officials.
Minister, Clearwater Seafoods recently signed an agreement with several communities—actually, 14 Mi'kmaq communities in Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador—on the future of the surf clam industry. This agreement fulfills commitments to reconciliation and keeps jobs in my riding—in the town of Grand Bank and on the Burin Peninsula. I have followed this file closely and worked with all involved, particularly the local union and Clearwater.
I'm wondering if your department has reviewed this agreement. Where do you see the future of the surf clam industry going, keeping in mind the economic importance of the surf clam to Grand Bank and the Burin Peninsula?
Liberal
Jonathan Wilkinson Liberal North Vancouver, BC
I certainly remain dedicated to ensuring that the process to award the fourth surf clam licence results in meaningful and measurable direct and indirect benefits for indigenous peoples. I certainly appreciate the efforts of Clearwater to include multiple indigenous communities in the proposal that it brought forward.
I have met with Clearwater and I had a chance to talk to them about their report. I see this very much as a positive development in the context of the overall path to reconciliation. We will take the time we need to evaluate this proposal—both its advantages and disadvantages—and look at what options there may be before we come to a determination.
I think it was very positive in terms of the work that's been done between industry and indigenous communities in that relevant area.
Liberal
Churence Rogers Liberal Bonavista—Burin—Trinity, NL
Thank you, Minister. I want you to know that, as I have already indicated, I fully support this proposal. It keeps jobs in my riding.
Mr. Minister, earlier this spring, there were proposed cuts of up to 30% in the crab quotas in Newfoundland and Labrador. During that time, I met with hundreds of fish harvesters throughout my riding in the most impacted areas. There was a severe concern about cuts of this size.
I was pleased to see the size of these cuts reduced in this particular instance. Many harvesters said their catch rates were excellent last year. They are reporting to me that, so far this year, they are even better. I believe fish harvesters need to be consulted before the precautionary approach is administered.
Could you comment on the process behind your precautionary approach, its implementation, and the way in which local harvesters' knowledge will be incorporated into this process?
Liberal
Jonathan Wilkinson Liberal North Vancouver, BC
Certainly, we are committed to the use of the precautionary approach in fisheries decision-making. It's certainly a key component of managing these fisheries in a sustainable way. It is something, obviously, that stakeholders and, in particular, fish harvesters need to have involvement in as we go forward.
To ensure that we are supporting—and that everyone is supporting—the ongoing sustainability of the fishery, which is in everyone's interest, the department has initiated a working group that involves indigenous peoples, commercial fishers and other stakeholder representatives to develop a formal precautionary approach framework for the fishery, including reference points and harvest control rules.
That table has been up and running. It has been working very well to date. In my mind, it is a model of how we can actually ensure that we are working together on a go-forward basis. I look forward to the output of the work that the working group is doing.
Liberal
Churence Rogers Liberal Bonavista—Burin—Trinity, NL
Minister, I appreciate that answer. I really want to emphasize the importance of having the knowledge of harvesters as an integral part of anything we do going forward in this industry.
Minister, the harvesters in the two particular areas where I get a lot of recommendations and information from—Bonavista Bay and Trinity Bay, in my riding—report that the crab quotas this year.... The harvest has been tremendous. It's been plentiful, and it's been quick. They've done extremely well.
As you talk to scientists and to people in the department going forward, I want you to keep the information in mind that the harvesters are bringing to my attention.
Liberal
Conservative
Blaine Calkins Conservative Red Deer—Lacombe, AB
Thank you, Chair.
Minister, thanks for being here.
You spoke about money in the budget for fisheries enhancement, particularly on the west coast. The British Columbia salmon restoration and innovation fund talks about increasing productivity. You mentioned in your opening remarks and through other conversations you've had here that basically there's nothing new on the front for hatcheries.
Is that correct?
Liberal
Jonathan Wilkinson Liberal North Vancouver, BC
What I said is that hatcheries are a tool, from a science perspective, that you need to use in a thoughtful way—
Conservative
Liberal
Jonathan Wilkinson Liberal North Vancouver, BC
—and so you want to make sure you're not overwhelming the wild genetic stock.
Liberal
Jonathan Wilkinson Liberal North Vancouver, BC
It's a process that you need to be thoughtful about and a tool you need to be—
Conservative
Blaine Calkins Conservative Red Deer—Lacombe, AB
Let me just ask you a question, then, that doesn't...my sense of knowledge of fisheries and aquatic sciences with my zoology degree.
Are you spending more money in the budget on hatcheries, yes or no?
Liberal
Jonathan Wilkinson Liberal North Vancouver, BC
As I said, the conversation around hatcheries is that we will be—
Liberal
Jonathan Wilkinson Liberal North Vancouver, BC
—going through at a table.
The one area where we have put more money into fisheries relates to the south resident killer whale. We are enhancing the Chilliwack hatchery to provide more stocks for the whales.
Conservative
Blaine Calkins Conservative Red Deer—Lacombe, AB
Chilliwack has to go through the lake in order to get there.
Inch Creek and Capilano hatcheries don't have that same set of obstacles—
Liberal
Jonathan Wilkinson Liberal North Vancouver, BC
There is capacity within the hatchery. The fish that come out of that hatchery go into the areas where the south resident killer whales forage.
There are a whole range of reasons. If you would like the science behind it, I'd be more than happy to provide it.
Conservative
Blaine Calkins Conservative Red Deer—Lacombe, AB
I already know it. I just don't know why you're not investing in it.