Evidence of meeting #9 for Fisheries and Oceans in the 43rd Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was lobster.
A video is available from Parliament.
4:25 p.m.
Manager, Population Ecology Division, Maritimes Region, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
Whether that handling has a population-level effect is a function of several other factors such as the amount of handling, the size of the population—
4:25 p.m.
Manager, Population Ecology Division, Maritimes Region, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
DFO science does not.
4:25 p.m.
Liberal
Bobby Morrissey Liberal Egmont, PE
Has DFO science ever recommended or advised the changing of season time? I'm not referring to just a few days at the opening.
In the last 10, 20 or 30 years, has DFO ever recommended the expansion of seasons within the commercial fishery?
4:25 p.m.
Manager, Population Ecology Division, Maritimes Region, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
I manage a division of science that undertakes assessments in the Maritimes region. Within the Maritimes region, to my knowledge, science has not recommended, without being asked, any changes to the season.
I would defer to my colleague for other regions.
4:25 p.m.
Manager, Fisheries and Ecosystem Sciences Division, Gulf Region, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
Certainly.
I can speak to my experience. Within the gulf region, there is a desire to protect soft-shell lobster during certain periods of the year where a molting season—
4:25 p.m.
Liberal
Bobby Morrissey Liberal Egmont, PE
That's why you have seasons that have been in place for some time.
4:25 p.m.
Manager, Fisheries and Ecosystem Sciences Division, Gulf Region, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
Yes, and the seasons—
4:25 p.m.
Liberal
Bobby Morrissey Liberal Egmont, PE
Therefore, from the point of view of science, seasons are important.
4:25 p.m.
Manager, Fisheries and Ecosystem Sciences Division, Gulf Region, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
I believe they are important in certain areas and in managing effort overall.
4:25 p.m.
Liberal
Bobby Morrissey Liberal Egmont, PE
Okay.
Are there water areas where lobsters are more vulnerable at times of the year, such as in reference to warming and shallower waters?
4:25 p.m.
Manager, Population Ecology Division, Maritimes Region, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
Matt, I can start with that, if you like.
Within the Maritimes regions and the southern gulf, lobsters are at the middle of their range, if you think about that.
4:25 p.m.
Manager, Population Ecology Division, Maritimes Region, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
Therefore, we don't expect any impacts that might arise from climate change—
4:25 p.m.
Liberal
Bobby Morrissey Liberal Egmont, PE
No. I'm not referring to climate change, just the normal cyclical warming of shallow bays that has been known for sometime.
4:25 p.m.
Manager, Population Ecology Division, Maritimes Region, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
Yes.
4:25 p.m.
Liberal
Bobby Morrissey Liberal Egmont, PE
When they warm up, are lobster more vulnerable in those areas at times of the year?
4:25 p.m.
Manager, Population Ecology Division, Maritimes Region, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
Matt, perhaps you could respond.
4:25 p.m.
Manager, Fisheries and Ecosystem Sciences Division, Gulf Region, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
Perhaps I could just offer that lobsters in those warmer waters tend to go near shore. Often, females that are egg-bearing come near to shore to seek those warmer waters and to help with the development of their eggs.
4:25 p.m.
Liberal
Bobby Morrissey Liberal Egmont, PE
Okay, and they're crucial to the overall health of the stocks.
Therefore, I could conclude reasonably that fishing in those areas at times of the year would have a long-term negative impact on lobster stock.
4:25 p.m.
Manager, Fisheries and Ecosystem Sciences Division, Gulf Region, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
Yes—
4:25 p.m.
Liberal
Bobby Morrissey Liberal Egmont, PE
Okay, I have a question for Ms. Fuller.
Ms. Fuller, would putting seasons or having first nations communities fish within existing seasons have a negative impact on the ability to earn a moderate livelihood? I'm asking the question in a global sense.
4:30 p.m.
Oceans North Canada
Not necessarily, except that I do know that some of the conflict on the wharf has been difficult in order to prosecute those fisheries.
I think the question also is, where is the market for those moderate livelihood lobster?
If it's to be exported, that's why hard-shell is much better to export, because it has a much higher survivability rate.
If it's local, soft-shell can be sold—
4:30 p.m.
Liberal
Bobby Morrissey Liberal Egmont, PE
Then if you were going to recommend anything on the moderate fishery, from your experience, and you're not biased, imposing seasons would have a long-term positive impact on the ability to earn a moderate livelihood.