Fisheries Committee on Oct. 7th, 2024

[Clifford Small, Conservative, Coast of Bays—Central—Notre Dame, NL]

If you were prime minister, with your knowledge of northern cod and commitments that are already in place, would you have made that promise for 115,000 tonnes to the inshore fleet?

[Adam Burns]

Again, the Fisheries Act gives that decision-making authority to the Minister of Fisheries and she did indeed indicate the basis for the decision that she took.

[Clifford Small, Conservative, Coast of Bays—Central—Notre Dame, NL]

The promise that was made was made without authority is what you're saying.

[Adam Burns]

I can't speak to that, to a political promise, but what I can say is that the minister's decision was based on an objective of having a robust fishery in the years to come as well and that would generate year-round employment and economic benefits for Newfoundland and Labrador.

[Clifford Small, Conservative, Coast of Bays—Central—Notre Dame, NL]

Mr. Chair, it seems that Mr. Burns can't answer that question, so I'd like to move that the committee call the minister to come in and answer that question on if that 115,000 tonnes was a legitimate promise that could have been kept.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ken McDonald]

She is coming.

Thank you, Mr. Small.

We'll now go to Mr. Morrissey, for five minutes.

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

Thank you, Chair.

Now that it has become abundantly clear the official opposition critic was lobbying for the offshore while pretending to support the inshore, could you explain to me what the impact would be if Canada didn't arrive at a mutually agreeable decision with NAFO?

[Adam Burns]

Certainly, it is NAFO, under international law, that has jurisdiction for the waters outside of Canada's exclusive economic zone.

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

The fish species we're talking about are a travelling stock. If there's no mutual management of that resource as it moves off, how does that impact the inshore?

[Adam Burns]

Were NAFO to have not adopted the measures it did this year, or to have undertaken an approach to set quotas outside of Canada's management plan, it could have posed a conservation risk. That could have undermined the Canadian management of this stock, and Canada's ability to defend Canada's share of this fishery.

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

I believe history would show that a lot of the fishing that resulted in the collapse of the east coast cod fishery occurred offshore.

[Adam Burns]

Certainly, it's our view that it's very important to have robust conservation measures in place outside of the 200-mile limit.

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

If we're going to have a robust inshore fishery for the benefit of the inshore fishers, is it important for Canada to be an active partner in international organizations like NAFO?

[Adam Burns]

It is a single stock. Inshore abundance moves further offshore at various points in the year. It is important, again, to have that robust management regime in the NAFO regulatory area, as well.

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

Has the Newfoundland fishery, by definition, always consisted of a robust inshore, as well as a robust offshore?

[Adam Burns]

Historically, yes, that is true.

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

Unlike other maritime provinces, Newfoundland's fishery has been heavily tied to exploiting the resource offshore.

[Adam Burns]

There are very productive fishing grounds in the offshore areas off Newfoundland and Labrador.

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

Do the benefits accrue back to Newfoundland?

[Adam Burns]

Largely, the Canadian fleets that are fishing in those waters are from Newfoundland. Certainly, there are some from Nova Scotia, as well, but yes.

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

Again, as you pointed out earlier, are most of those vessels crewed by people from Newfoundland?

[Adam Burns]

That's correct, yes.

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

Do they supply the plants on land in Newfoundland that are staffed by residents of Newfoundland?

[Adam Burns]

That is correct.

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

Would any mismanagement of the overall resource have a direct impact on not only the offshore but the inshore?