Evidence of meeting #120 for Fisheries and Oceans in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was stock.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Bobby Morrissey Liberal Egmont, PE
Is that the first time for this particular species, in this particular zone?
Assistant Deputy Minister, Programs Sector, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
I believe so. I wasn't at the table 30 years ago when it was last managed by NAFO. Certainly, however, this was a successful experience. We succeeded in having those Canadian measures implemented.
Without Canada's participation in that discussion and negotiation, minimum size, gear requirements and fishery closure, which are all based on the best available data.... It is based on data from the previous commercial fishery in the nineties, but it is intended to close an area we believe to be a sensitive one, from a conservation perspective. Contracting parties have agreed on that closure being applied in the NAFO zone, as well.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Programs Sector, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
The closure is from April 15 to June 30.
Liberal
Bobby Morrissey Liberal Egmont, PE
No. What is the particular agreement on this new increased size and the seasonal closures?
Assistant Deputy Minister, Programs Sector, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
Knowing exactly when these closures should apply will be discussed each year as data improves.
Liberal
Bobby Morrissey Liberal Egmont, PE
Is it fair to say that it will be on the basis of future discussions, going forward?
Assistant Deputy Minister, Programs Sector, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
That's correct.
A similar closure is in place for 3M cod at NAFO. It, too, is renewed each year. That is a routine element of any decision to renew it. Now that it's in place, it obviously makes it easier to maintain.
Liberal
Bobby Morrissey Liberal Egmont, PE
I watch it for the inshore, but looking at the offshore, I would come to the conclusion that the minister negotiated very well on behalf of the Canadian fishery, as it relates to a difficult environment dealing with international partners. To use your words, Canada secured a number of “significant” wins in the overall global management of this key resource off Canada's east coast. That tells me, then, that the ministry and the minister negotiated very well on behalf of Canadian fishers.
You referenced the increased quota to the inshore. Is that correct? Could you elaborate on that a bit more?
Assistant Deputy Minister, Programs Sector, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
The inshore quota for this year is 83.73%, which is—
Assistant Deputy Minister, Programs Sector, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
It's 15,000 and change. That's about 2,000 tonnes more than what was available last year in the 13,000-tonne stewardship fishery.
Liberal
Bobby Morrissey Liberal Egmont, PE
Was that paramount to the whole decision around the management of this important resource, going forward?
Assistant Deputy Minister, Programs Sector, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
I'm not sure I follow that.
Liberal
Bobby Morrissey Liberal Egmont, PE
It's what we've been discussing. How was this arrived at? The impression that was left is that Canada gave more access to the offshore, which is not the case.
Is that correct?
Assistant Deputy Minister, Programs Sector, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
The quota for the offshore is 6%, but, certainly, the available quota, the quantum of fish available to the inshore this year, is about 2,000 tonnes higher than it was last year.
Liberal
Assistant Deputy Minister, Programs Sector, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
I understand your question. The quantum of fish available to the offshore this year is just over 1,000 tonnes, and the increase to the inshore is, I believe, just over 2,000 tonnes.
Liberal
Bobby Morrissey Liberal Egmont, PE
The decision was weighed heavily towards the inshore. At the same time, the decision and the data that went into the decision-making process secured significant key wins for the overall management of this northeastern resource off Newfoundland for Canada.
Thank you for your very good testimony today, Mr. Burns.
I believe my time is up.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ken McDonald
Thank you, Mr. Morrissey.
That concludes the meeting.
I want to thank Mr. Burns, Mr. Vigneault, and, of course, Mr. McGillivray for joining us online, and sharing their knowledge of this particular study that the committee has undertaken.
If members have a minute, I'd like to have a moment to say something when our witnesses are gone. I know we all have somewhere to be, but I'll be quick.
I want to comment on the way the committee is behaving, when doing various studies. I've been on this committee now for almost nine years. There are other members here who have been here, as well. However, it seems now that it's gotten to a point where there are political jabs back and forth. Instead of dealing with the study at hand, and getting the information we need to be able to present a good report back to the House of Commons, it's smack for smack, I suppose. Whether it's the Liberals taking a smack at the Conservatives, or the Conservatives taking a smack at the Liberals—
Liberal
Bloc
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ken McDonald
—from what we're trying to do. When there are witnesses in the room, they must sit back and think, “Geez, they're like youngsters singing out at one another. It's like kindergarten.”
I would like members to take that under advisement, to try and leave the political part of this outside these two doors, if we can. It will make the committee run, I think, a lot better, and a lot more smoothly. We can then give a better report back to the House at the end of the day.
