Fisheries Committee on June 2nd, 2021

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

I'm sorry. I'm not sure I understand the question.

[Mel Arnold, Conservative, North Okanagan—Shuswap, BC]

You've made these decisions without providing any reasoning to the people who are affected by them.

The spot prawn harvesters are still trying to understand why the decision was made. The public fishers haven't seen any answers as to the reasons. There doesn't seem to be any reason behind any of your decisions.

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

First of all, I'm going to say that I'm extremely proud of our government and the decisions that we have made with regard to investments in making sure that we are doing everything we possibly can to protect the wild Pacific salmon. You talked about that.

We've also invested, in budget 2018, I believe, $43 million for aquatic invasive species. Is there more to be done? Absolutely.

With regard to the B.C. shrimp program, we have made significant investments in habitat restoration. With regard to science—

[Mel Arnold, Conservative, North Okanagan—Shuswap, BC]

If there was more to be done on the aquatic invasive species, why was there nothing in the massive budget of 2021 for invasive species in B.C.?

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

We are continuing to make sure that we are working to deal with aquatic invasive species. Of course, there is ongoing funding for things like the Asian carp and sea lampreys, and of course we know there have been challenges this year with regard to the quagga mussels. We are continuing to work in collaboration and to get the science to make sure that we make the right decisions with regard to these species.

It is a challenging—

[Mel Arnold, Conservative, North Okanagan—Shuswap, BC]

There's nothing in budget 2020-21 for that.

I need to get another question in here if I can.

If you've based these decisions on science and sound reasoning, as you say you have, and you're proud of your department, why have you not shared those reasons with the people whose lives are most directly impacted?

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

I would say that we actually have absolutely communicated to stakeholder groups and first nations on decisions. The management decisions are often very tough, because it does mean that we have to sometimes cut quotas and sometimes cut total allowable catch, depending on where you are. These are tough, Mr. Arnold. There's no question.

[Mel Arnold, Conservative, North Okanagan—Shuswap, BC]

Those reasons haven't been made clear to the stakeholders. As I mentioned, the spot prawn harvesters have no idea why the decision to reverse the interpretation was made. Public fishers haven't received a satisfactory answer to their questions. Many of them haven't received a response.

Why?

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

As I have said, with regard to the spot prawn specifically, I am 100% committed to getting this issue solved for the long term. We were able to work with the industry to have a plan in place for this year, but we will be making sure that there is a plan in place as we go forward. That has to be done in consultation with the industry.

[Mel Arnold, Conservative, North Okanagan—Shuswap, BC]

Thank you, Minister.

The Cohen commission was initiated in response to severe declines in Pacific salmon stocks, and the strategic salmon health initiative, or SSHI, was established in 2013, soon after the Cohen report was calling for more information. Since 2013, SSHI work has examined and reported on very important science.

Why are you shutting down the SSHI program after having only completed two of the four phases of the investigation?

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

I am actually going to turn to my deputy minister for this one, please.

[Timothy Sargent]

I think, Rebecca, that's in your world as well.

[Rebecca Reid]

The SSHI was organized through a series of phases. We have completed phase two of the program. Phase three, which requires the establishment of a wet lab, a facility, is not funded at this point, so the work under way right now is writing up the papers and doing that type of activity while funding is sought for that next step.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ken McDonald]

Thank you, Mr. Arnold.

We'll now go to Mr. Cormier for five minutes or less, please.

[Serge Cormier, Liberal, Acadie—Bathurst, NB]

Thank you very much.

Madam Minister, I'm always amazed to hear the Conservatives talk about science when we know the cutbacks they made to science when they were in government. They even muzzled scientists. So we'll move on to another topic, if you don't mind.

I'm going to talk about prawns. You know that prawners are waiting to go out to sea in certain areas. Year after year, it's not always easy for them, especially with the COVID‑19 pandemic. In the United Kingdom, where the prawns are mainly sold, the markets are almost non-existent, as you know. Have people in your department had any conversations with prawn industry representatives?

Some fishers in my area seem to be saying that they are being forgotten. I don't think we're forgetting about them. It's more on the market side that things are difficult. Is anything being done to find new markets in our country or elsewhere in the world, not just the United Kingdom?

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

Thank you, Mr. Cormier, for the question.

I will say that COVID-19 has impacted our fish and seafood processors and our harvesters in an extremely difficult way. We have seen a decline in our export markets.

One of the things we did last year, when we realized relatively early on in the pandemic that the fish and seafood industry was going to be impacted—it was one of the first to be affected—was to put in place the Canadian seafood stabilization fund. The fund allowed processors to pivot from a fresh market product to one they could store longer. We recognized that they didn't have that ability. The fund also allowed them to do value-added and to look for new markets.

In addition, we changed the fund that was actually put in place to promote seafood in other countries so that we could promote it in Canada. We are seeing an increase in the amount of seafood being consumed in Canada. I will say that it was Canadians who stepped up to help our seafood producers and our fishers last year. I think that was extremely significant.

[Serge Cormier, Liberal, Acadie—Bathurst, NB]

Thank you, Madam Minister.

As you said, we have programs and funding to help us try to find new markets.

Madam Minister, we had the chance to discuss another topic that really concerns me. It's the sale of fishing licences in New Brunswick or in other Atlantic provinces, and even lobster licences, which we're seeing more and more in our regions. A crab licence is currently worth between $12 million and $15 million.

In the past two or three years, in my area and in New Brunswick alone, we've seen fishing licences go to Quebec, Prince Edward Island or elsewhere.

One challenge we face is the residence criterion. As you know, it's only six months for New Brunswick, compared to two years for Quebec, for example.

I want to take the time to understand this properly.

As I understand it, Madam Minister, we want to work with people in the associations and, if they ask us to change the residence criterion, we're willing to listen to them to ensure that fishing licences remain within our communities and within our province. Is that correct?

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

With regard to the regulations around licensing, there are, as you mentioned, different criteria in different provinces for the residents. In New Brunswick, it is six months. Those regulations are actually developed in collaboration with industry. If industry wants to see them changed, these are conversations we would be happy to have. However, it has to be done at a table.... When we are looking at regulations, if this is something the industry feels strongly about, I am sure we would be happy to have this conversation.

[Serge Cormier, Liberal, Acadie—Bathurst, NB]

My Conservative colleague and friend, Mr. Bragdon, spoke earlier about former premiers and other provincial governments.

Has the New Brunswick government contacted your department to request a change to this residence policy so the fishing licences can remain in New Brunswick?

Do you know if the New Brunswick Conservative government has put in the request?

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

I am not aware of any request to me directly. I'm going to turn to my department to see if any requests have come through my deputy.

[Timothy Sargent]

No, we're not aware of any requests at this time, although we are aware of the overall issue.

[Serge Cormier, Liberal, Acadie—Bathurst, NB]

That's fine. Thank you, Madam Minister, for those clarifications.

I know that working with the associations is how we will resolve this situation. As you know, the loss of fishing licences is hurting our factory employees and our communities.

Thank you for listening to me on this.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ken McDonald]

Thank you, Mr. Cormier.

We will now go to Mr. Trudel for two and a half minutes, please.

[Denis Trudel, Bloc, Longueuil—Saint-Hubert, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I told you earlier about Ms. Bergeron from the Fédération québécoise pour le saumon atlantique. When she came to testify, Ms. Bergeron shared with us another concern, which was listing the Atlantic salmon species as endangered. This could affect the recreational fishing economy in Quebec.

Madam Minister, do you know how the assessment is going at this time?

We're hearing that the resource is in good condition in Quebec, as it is well managed, and we don't need to list the species as endangered. However, does the department agree?

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

Consultations are ongoing with regard to the Species at Risk Act and whether Atlantic salmon should be listed. I'm not sure where they sit right now.

Deputy, do you have more recent information?