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.
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—
Manager, Population Ecology Division, Maritimes Region, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
DFO science does not.
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?
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.
November 23rd, 2020 / 4:25 p.m.
Liberal
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—
Liberal
Bobby Morrissey Liberal Egmont, PE
That's why you have seasons that have been in place for some time.
Manager, Fisheries and Ecosystem Sciences Division, Gulf Region, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
Yes, and the seasons—
Liberal
Bobby Morrissey Liberal Egmont, PE
Therefore, from the point of view of science, seasons are important.
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.
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?
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.
Manager, Population Ecology Division, Maritimes Region, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
Therefore, we don't expect any impacts that might arise from climate change—
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.
Manager, Population Ecology Division, Maritimes Region, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
Yes.
Liberal
Bobby Morrissey Liberal Egmont, PE
When they warm up, are lobster more vulnerable in those areas at times of the year?
Manager, Population Ecology Division, Maritimes Region, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
Matt, perhaps you could respond.
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.
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.
Manager, Fisheries and Ecosystem Sciences Division, Gulf Region, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
Yes—
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.
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—
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.