Fisheries Committee on June 3rd, 2020

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

Thank you, Chair.

Before my question, I'm pleased to hear the Conservatives advocating for the liberalization of the EI program.

In Prince Edward Island, we're unique in that we have a wild oyster fishery. It's unique to Prince Edward Island and I believe it's the only one that's licensed by DFO in their harvest. There's a bit of confusion on how they will be impacted by the relief program that was announced by the minister, so if the department could respond to me, or respond in a written answer, that would be great.

Are you aware of the unique character of the wild oyster fishery on Prince Edward Island, which comes under the licensing control of DFO, and will those fishers have the same ability, whether in partnership with the licence-holder, or the leaseholders, which is unique to this fishery, to participate in the fishery package the same as other fishers?

[Jean-Guy Forgeron]

I saw reports on that confusion just yesterday.

We believe on the face of it they should be eligible for these programs, but we can double-check to see and make sure there is no specific impediment to them because of the unique nature of this fishery. As a licensed fishery, which would be part of the fishers' EI system, we would expect them to be fully eligible. We'll make sure and we will provide a written response to the committee.

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

Just for further clarification, some have a licence but some hold a lease, which is still the wild harvest regulated by DFO. Therefore, could you be clear to me on that? As well, some of them participate in a partnership.

My other question is in two areas. How is DFO being impacted by COVID-19 as it relates to enforcement and protection out within the fishery?

[Jean-Guy Forgeron]

Sylvie, do you want to respond?

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

Is it impacting your ability to continue to provide protection and enforcement levels as it was prior to COVID-19?

[Sylvie Lapointe]

During COVID-19, on the conservation and protection side, we've been delivering our services to 100%, or in some areas, maybe 80% or 90% of pre-COVID. All our fisheries officers have been issued standard operating protocols, both from a fisheries officer perspective but also with specifics to whether they're conducting port inspections, at-sea inspections, whether they're boarding foreign vessels for inspections, whether they're doing aerial surveillance—

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

Just so I understand then, the protection personnel are in the field basically the same as it was prior to COVID-19.

[Sylvie Lapointe]

That's correct.

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

My other question would be in the area of small craft harbours and the ability of technical people to get out on site at various harbour locations.

Have they been impacted by COVID-19 in their ability to get out and continue to ensure that small craft harbours are kept up and these programs are moving forward?

[Sylvie Lapointe]

For the most part, they have. With respect to some construction projects in Ontario and Quebec, we've seen delays due to prevention regulations around construction, but they've now been lifted. We've had a few issues in Newfoundland and Labrador around the availability of construction workers, but by and large, all the harbours have been able to operate as per usual.

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

I want to go back to a question that was raised by my colleagues in either the Conservative Party or the New Democratic Party. I believe one of the answers I heard was that it might be months before it's clear who would be eligible under the fishery incentive programs that were announced.

Could somebody speak to that and narrow that up? I believe I heard in the “not-too-distant future”, but for an oyster fisher with no fishery because we've been shut down totally for over a month, quite frankly, that's not a good enough answer.

[Jean-Guy Forgeron]

When it comes to whom we expect to be eligible for the fish harvester benefit, the groups that will be eligible will be the licence-holders, the owner-operators of the inshore fleet, as well as the share persons who make up another 6,000 members of the crews of—

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

Yes, I'm aware of that. It's the timeline on which they will begin to take a look at the applications.

[Jean-Guy Forgeron]

The timeline....

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

It's only when they have access to the applications that the industry will have some comfort that they know what they're looking at and when it'll move forward.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ken McDonald]

I'm sorry. We've completely gone over time there for a response, Mr. Morrissey and Mr. Forgeron. Perhaps you could supply that response in written form; that would be appreciated.

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ken McDonald]

We'll now go to Mr. Johns for two and a half minutes.

[Gord Johns, NDP, Courtenay—Alberni, BC]

My question is pointed at the COVID recovery and response plan, and I'm focusing on the wild salmon emergency. Can you tell me whether there have been any delays in the government's plan to transition from open-net salmon farms to closed containment?

[Jean-Guy Forgeron]

That's one of the mandate commitments of our minister. We are planning on supporting the minister in meeting all of her mandate commitments over the course of this mandate. It is still our intention to have a responsible plan with regard to the transition of open-net aquaculture in British Columbia as per the schedule in her mandate letter.

[Gord Johns, NDP, Courtenay—Alberni, BC]

I only have two and a half minutes, so I'll move on to the Big Bar landslide. I'm glad Mr. Fast raised it because we're hearing from indigenous communities that.... Obviously, there were stipulations in the contract to hire indigenous people who are living adjacent to and on the lands where this project's being developed. What enforcement mechanisms has the department had to make sure that indigenous people are hired?

Kiewit has gone over budget three times what they initially were awarded for the contract. We're hearing from indigenous people on the ground that they're actually not getting awarded those contracts that were guaranteed to them. Is this because of COVID?

[Jen O'Donoughue]

There is a very structured benefits plan as part of the Kiewit contract, and every time we have increased the Kiewit contract, we have also looked at that benefits plan, and we're monitoring it very closely. We can certainly follow up if you're hearing those kinds of things. We haven't heard them from a project perspective.

[Gord Johns, NDP, Courtenay—Alberni, BC]

Great. We'd be happy to share that with you.

In terms of restoration projects, obviously, it is critical right now, especially during the salmon emergency, that we don't lose sight of that. We're hearing from people who are getting denied in Clayoquot, Sumas and the Fraser—all of these very important organizations like the Coastal Restoration Society that are working in partnership with first nations and local stakeholders. We have invasive European green crab. We have derelict and abandoned fishing gear. We have plastics. We have stream reparation that needs to be worked on, and we have people ready to work in the middle of a COVID crisis who can physically distance and do this work.

Are you going to accelerate the funding into those communities as part of the recovery plan so that we can get those projects off the ground, instead of waiting until next year or the year after?

[The Chair, Liberal, Ken McDonald]

Sorry, Gord. That's all your time.

Again, I would ask the witness to provide that answer in writing to the committee. That would be great.

[Gord Johns, NDP, Courtenay—Alberni, BC]

Thank you.