Fisheries Committee on April 6th, 2017

[Catherine Blewett]

We do not have a concern about a stock collapsing again.

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

What's your view on Atlantic mackerel?

[Catherine Blewett]

We have stock in the critical zone. I'll turn to Jean, who is nervously looking at me about what I might say about that.

Go ahead, Jean.

[Jean Landry]

Thank you, Deputy.

We monitor mackerel annually. We do egg surveys. We made a new assessment of mackerel in March 2017. As we all know, mackerel has experienced a decline over the years, and our previous assessments were clear about the fact that mackerel was in a critical state.

I have a number of good news stories to tell about mackerel. First, following the assessment we did in March 2017, we have substantially improved our assessment in terms of the model, the source of information, and its robustness to uncertainty. We also have worked in close collaboration with our colleagues from the U.S.A. They participated in our assessment, and we will participate in their assessment of their stock in the fall.

In fact, concerning the mackerel we can say that we are in better shape to manage carefully the—

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

What is the stock like?

[Jean Landry]

Based on the new assessment of the biomass, the stock is still in the critical zone. The biomass is about 40,000 tonnes. The limit reference points we have identified is 103,000 tonnes but we can see that the stock has started to slightly increase compared with its lowest level in 2012, which was 20,000 tonnes. There's a slight increase. As you know, we have reduced the TAC substantially over recent years, and we'll see what happens in the future. We continue to monitor it regularly.

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

Often we politicians hear that fish buyers are buying a greater quantity than DFO statistics record. From time to time within the mackerel fishery you'll hear that there's a discrepancy between the numbers posted and what fish buyers cumulatively buy. Usually they're buying more than the numbers show. How is that happening, and what are you doing about it?

[Kevin Stringer]

I'll start, and Jean may want to add.

Jean said we are seeing some encouraging signs in mackerel, but we remain very concerned. It's at a low state. There is a commercial fishery, a recreational fishery, and a bait fishery. We've talked to the industry about needing to improve our monitoring. Marc talked about the catch monitoring policy we're working on for this year. We actually are strengthening it, particularly in the bait fishery, to make sure we have a good handle on it.

It's enormously important. In our meeting with the PEIFA last week, they talked about being ready to take on tougher, stringent measures, because they know we're serious about it because of the state of the stock. We are not going to let it go further, and so we are putting more stringent measures into ensuring that we're accounting for all fisheries.

In terms of there being more bought than is recorded, there's our dockside monitoring, our observer coverage, and our logbooks, etc. A big part of our compliance is in making sure that people are accounting properly. We charge people when we find out they're not doing so.

We don't think there's a huge issue there, but we constantly have to be vigilant to make sure that the reporting is appropriate.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Robert Sopuck]

Okay, that's fine, so thank you.

We have Mr. Donnelly for four minutes.

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

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Going back to the environment commissioner's report, she mentioned that in 2010 DFO began a transition to less frequent stock assessments for most fisheries. However, the audit found that DFO had not identified the triggers specific to each stock that would signal that a full stock assessment would be needed sooner than scheduled.

How is the department addressing this issue?

[Catherine Blewett]

Jean began to provide an answer in a previous comment around the triggers, so, Jean, maybe you want to elaborate on that.

[Jean Landry]

We have implemented that recommendation from the commissioner's report since its release last October. The way it will work is that from now on, each time we have a full stock assessment, the meeting's terms of reference will make it mandatory to look at this issue. We have already started to identify triggers for a number of stocks since last October, for example, Atlantic halibut in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and also the northern Gulf cod stock. We even identified triggers before the release of the report. For northern cod, as I mentioned previously, we identified triggers in the winter of 2016, so it has been implemented, but it will take time because we have committed to do that when the full stock assessment comes.

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

Is that information now all publicly available on the website?

[Jean Landry]

For the northern cod, yes, but for the ones I mentioned that were produced over the last months, I think the reports are not on the web yet. They will come—

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

They're coming, okay. Thank you.

Switching gears for a second here, there was a recent World Conservation Congress at which delegates from around the world passed a resolution that at least 30% of the ocean be protected.

Ms. Blewett, I'm wondering if Canada supports this goal. Obviously, the department is focused on 5% by the end of this year, and by 2020—

[Catherine Blewett]

That's 10% by 2020.

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

So 30% obviously would be a stretch goal. Other countries are already achieving and surpassing this. Is this something Canada is going to move towards?

[Catherine Blewett]

We are very focused on achieving our marine conservation targets. I think you had a session the other day and heard about where we're going in terms of our 5% and 10%.

I wouldn't presume to know where the Government of Canada will go in terms of that broader target.

It's a robust conversation that's happening around the globe and we're focused on achieving the mandate that we have at the moment.

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

Okay.

In my remaining time, I'll move the motion that I've given notice to the committee of. It's germane to the discussion today. I don't know if it needs to be circulated, but it will be.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Robert Sopuck]

It's in order.

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

I move:

That the department and agencies of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and the Canadian Coast Guard, that have been subject to a performance audit by the Office of the Auditor General of Canada provide a detailed action plan to address the audit recommendations which have been agreed to, including specific actions, timelines for their completion, and responsible individuals, to the Committee and to the Office of the Auditor General of Canada, within six months of the audit being tabled in the House of Commons;

That the department and agencies that are invited to appear before the Committee to discuss the findings of an audit should, when feasible, provide an action plan to the Committee prior to the hearing; and

That the departmental action plans and progress reports received by the Committee be published on the Committee's website.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Robert Sopuck]

Given that time is so very tight, if we have an extensive discussion we simply will not have the time to have a vote.

[Bernadette Jordan, Liberal, South Shore—St. Margarets, NS]

Call the vote.

(Motion agreed to)

[Todd Doherty, Conservative, Cariboo—Prince George, BC]

Mr. Chair, I just want to quickly say that the conversation has been very good today and we really appreciate the witnesses who are here.

I wonder if I might seek, again, only if it's okay with our witnesses' time, an extension of our schedule for just 10 minutes, as it would perhaps allow each side three or four minutes more of questioning. We are at 9:55 right now. Might we have 10 more minutes just to continue?

Again, I would ask the group.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Robert Sopuck]

Keep in mind that our guest is supposed to be here at 10, and we need to have a five-minute in camera session.