Evidence of meeting #4 for Fisheries and Oceans in the 43rd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was work.
A recording is available from Parliament.
9:45 a.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ken McDonald
Your time is up, Mr. Johns. Thank you.
We've completed the first and second rounds, so now we'll just keep repeating the second round until we run out of time, I guess. We'll go now to the Conservative Party for five minutes or less.
Mr. Arnold, please.
9:45 a.m.
Conservative
Mel Arnold Conservative North Okanagan—Shuswap, BC
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'm glad we have a second round.
Ms. Reid, can you tell me what plans are in place to rebuild at least the one lost year that we already have and potentially more? These salmon are multi-year fish. That group will be coming back again in four to five years' time, depending on their particular stream type. What plans are in place to rebuild those stocks to historical levels?
9:45 a.m.
Regional Director General, Pacific Region, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
We have a sort of three-pronged plan in place. The first one is to create conditions for those fish to pass naturally so that we get as many fish back as we can—
9:45 a.m.
Conservative
Mel Arnold Conservative North Okanagan—Shuswap, BC
No. For the one year that has been lost completely, last year's stock, what are you doing to rebuild that stock?
9:45 a.m.
Regional Director General, Pacific Region, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
Part of our strategy is enhancement, so that is another part of it.
There are three things. One is having whatever fish are able to return and spawn naturally. The second is enhancement. The third is making sure that fisheries management tools are in place to allow as many of those fish to escape as possible, that is, to not have fisheries on those stocks that we have a concern on. We need to take those three elements into consideration.
9:45 a.m.
Conservative
Mel Arnold Conservative North Okanagan—Shuswap, BC
What's being done on the enhancement part of it? Is it hatchery enhancement, stream work and so on?
9:45 a.m.
Regional Director General, Pacific Region, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
We're working on an enhancement plan for those fish. We have a couple of different scenarios in place. If the fish can't pass, we have a plan, but even if they can pass, we have some ideas about—
9:45 a.m.
Conservative
Mel Arnold Conservative North Okanagan—Shuswap, BC
I want to go back to the ones that didn't get past last year. You're going to have to rebuild that subset. That returning group every four years is going to be in trouble. How long will it take until you can rebuild it?
9:50 a.m.
Regional Director General, Pacific Region, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
The fish that are lost are lost. As the next-year class comes through—
9:50 a.m.
Conservative
Mel Arnold Conservative North Okanagan—Shuswap, BC
No, that particular subset that will come back every four or five years....
9:50 a.m.
Regional Director General, Pacific Region, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
That's what I'm trying to explain. For those fish that have been lost, that year-class has been lost, but as the next year-class comes through, you can have fish replaced. Fish can stray and move into areas where there are absences, so over time you can recover, somewhat, the fish that have been lost.
We did do enhancement last year. It wasn't very successful so our efforts would be to support the returns of fish to allow as strong a return as possible.
9:50 a.m.
Conservative
Mel Arnold Conservative North Okanagan—Shuswap, BC
Are you looking at additional hatchery capacity to help rebuild that stock that's basically lost?
9:50 a.m.
Regional Director General, Pacific Region, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
Right now we're looking at what production space is available to increase enhancement.
9:50 a.m.
Conservative
Mel Arnold Conservative North Okanagan—Shuswap, BC
Are you looking at increasing any production space?
9:50 a.m.
Regional Director General, Pacific Region, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
Are you talking about building new hatcheries?
March 10th, 2020 / 9:50 a.m.
Conservative
Mel Arnold Conservative North Okanagan—Shuswap, BC
I'm not necessarily looking at building new hatcheries. Are you aware that portable hatcheries exist?
9:50 a.m.
Regional Director General, Pacific Region, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
We don't have any portable hatchery plans in place, no.
9:50 a.m.
Conservative
9:50 a.m.
Regional Director General, Pacific Region, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
I'm not personally familiar with portable hatcheries.
9:50 a.m.
Conservative
Mel Arnold Conservative North Okanagan—Shuswap, BC
I am. I saw one just a couple of weeks ago. They fit in a 20-foot shipping container, available for about $35,000 a piece. Apparently DFO is not interested in purchasing any. I'm just wondering if you know why.
To me it seems like a fit. They could be put on any particular stream.
9:50 a.m.
Regional Director General, Pacific Region, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
We have two technical teams, and one of them is focused entirely on enhancement. That's certainly a question we could take back to them.
9:50 a.m.
Conservative
Mel Arnold Conservative North Okanagan—Shuswap, BC
Okay, I'd appreciate it if you could report back as to why portable hatcheries aren't being considered.
If there's any time remaining, I'll turn it over to Mr. Fast or Mr. Calkins.
9:50 a.m.
Liberal
9:50 a.m.
Conservative
Blaine Calkins Conservative Red Deer—Lacombe, AB
I'd like a quick clarification. Obviously, the salmon are having trouble moving up over the bar. There's no indication to think that salmon will have any trouble. For any of the smolts, the juveniles, there shouldn't be any issues coming downstream. Is that correct?
9:50 a.m.
Regional Director General, Pacific Region, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
That's correct.