Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, witnesses. This has been really fascinating and important study, but I would like to move a motion that I put on notice. Hopefully, we can deal with it quickly.
We all know that we recently had an emergency crisis to deal with. There was the closure of the crab and the lobster fishery in the gulf related to a right whale sighting and a dynamic closure, imposed by DFO initially, that broke the past policy and moved the dynamic closure into less than 10 fathoms of water.
I am happy that it was resolved, but I would like to move the motion I put on notice because I don't think we can afford to have this mistake happen again.
I move:
That, in relation to Minister Diane Lebouthillier’s decision to backtrack on a lobster and crab fishing ban in waters of less than ten fathoms in LFA 23C, the committee agrees to conduct a two-meeting study to review the minister’s decision, and agrees to invite: (a) stakeholders from the Maritime Fishermen’s Union; (b) Minister Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans, and Canadian Coast Guard, and Annette Gibbons, Deputy Minister of the Department of Fisheries and Ocean; and, that the witnesses be asked to appear before the committee for two hours each, and that such appearances take place before the committee’s study on derelict vessels, but begin no later than June 6, 2024.
That would be two meetings.