Fisheries Committee on Oct. 3rd, 2016

[Robert Rangeley]

I was going to mention the indigenous knowledge. There is a large initiative under way on fish and western and indigenous knowledge systems in Canada. It's called “Fish-WIKS”. It's about fish and indigenous knowledge.

They're finding that DFO isn't able to easily incorporate knowledge from observations from indigenous peoples. Their effort is to try to bring that to the science of rebuilding. In fact, our symposium, for which you got a postcard at your desks, is going to delve into that issue.

I think the same applies to input into the scientific process from other sorts of observations. Dr. Hutchings mentioned an example on the spatial distribution.

It's very valuable input.

[Fin Donnelly, NDP, Port Moody—Coquitlam, BC]

Thank you.

To go back to Mr. Morrissey's question about rebuilding plans in the U.S., Mr. Laughren, since you ran out of time, maybe you could take a minute to talk about the examples of those fisheries with the rebuilding plans. I'm interested in that.

[Joshua Laughren]

Sure. Bob helped me on this. In our science report, we pointed to a number of case studies, such as the Atlantic sea scallops in the U.S., which recovered quite quickly. Georges Bank haddock is another one that comes to mind, which recovered very quickly once a rebuilding plan was put in place. Swordfish would be another one.

In Canada, we have the Atlantic halibut. We don't only have to look elsewhere for good stories about recovery, but when you look across the board, they are more likely to happen when you have that legislative mandate.

[Fin Donnelly, NDP, Port Moody—Coquitlam, BC]

Mr. Sinclair, I think you wanted to jump in.

[Alan Sinclair]

Yes. Thank you very much.

I also would suggest that you perhaps make some contacts with the groundfish fishery in British Columbia. It's a very complex fishery. It has a much higher species diversity than Atlantic Canada has. It has the same kind of mix of fishing gear and various issues, but they are making remarkable progress as a unit in putting in place very effective fisheries management plans.

On the offshore trawler fleet, there's 100% observer coverage that is paid for, and a large part of it is paid for by the industry itself. They have video monitoring on fixed-gear fisheries. They get together and talk among themselves about how to make sure that all the catch is accounted for. In my opinion, it's very successful.

On another one, we're working with the David Suzuki Foundation. They've frozen the trawl footprint, if you will. The areas that are being fished now with bottom trawls have been identified and only areas that have been used a lot are being used anymore. It's a very encouraging example and probably not that well known worldwide.

[The Chair, Liberal, Scott Simms]

Just let me break in for one moment. We have about five to eight minutes left. I don't think it would be fair to open up the one round of questioning or what have you. We've just gone through two complete rounds.

To use the common expression of every game show host, do you want to do a lightning round just very quickly if you want a point of clarification or anything else?

Mr. Donnelly, you go ahead.

[Fin Donnelly, NDP, Port Moody—Coquitlam, BC]

I was just going to finish with Dr. Hutchings' comment that I think obviously size and age structure matter.

[The Chair, Liberal, Scott Simms]

Right. I'll leave that as it is, maybe at the wish of the committee.

Mr. Morrissey, go ahead but be very quick.

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

Could you elaborate on the Atlantic halibut that you referenced as a management plan that worked?

[The Chair, Liberal, Scott Simms]

Can you elaborate in a concise way?

[Robert Rangeley]

The Atlantic halibut has shown tremendous growth. There were good management efforts put into place in terms of limiting bycatch and overharvesting on the Scotian Shelf, so it really is a success story.

[Joshua Laughren]

That's now at near-historic levels.

[The Chair, Liberal, Scott Simms]

Mr. Finnigan, go ahead very quickly.

[Pat Finnigan, Liberal, Miramichi—Grand Lake, NB]

We talked about the warming of the waters and that's what we've been hearing all along. We don't know what's happened, really, but we know that the warming waters have had some effect. Whether the waters in Norway are warmer than here...a lot of species are affected. Would you say that our best place to put a good chunk of our money is towards making sure as quickly as we can that the warming of the climate doesn't happen? Would measures such as we took today to cut carbon be good measures to help the fish stock?

[The Chair, Liberal, Scott Simms]

Go ahead very quickly, sir.

[Joshua Laughren]

Yes. By far one of the most important things we can do for our oceans is to limit climate change.

[The Chair, Liberal, Scott Simms]

Thank you to our guests.

Dr. Favaro, Dr. Hutchings, Mr. Laughren, Mr. Rangeley, and of course, Mr. Sinclair joining us on the west coast, it's good to see you all.

Thank you to all our witnesses.

We're going to break for just a brief period and we'll come back in camera to discuss.

[Proceedings continue in camera]