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In section 2.5 of the act, additional wording that provides harvesters from coast to coast the protections that we believed would come from the 2019 review is urgently required.
We will include written suggestions and a more comprehensive response to the committee.
We strongly urge the committee to strengthen owner-operator requirements in the Fisheries Act to ensure that only those who actively participate in the fishery with boots on the boats and a real financial stake in their operation are granted access to licences. This would help prevent corporate consolidation, foreign ownership and absentee ownership to ensure that coastal communities remain at the heart of fisheries management. Additionally, stronger owner-operator provisions will ensure that the benefits of the fishery remain local and that connection between harvesters and their resources is maintained, thus protecting the resource for future generations.
Second is incorporating harvester knowledge into scientific assessments. It is vital that the Department of Fisheries and Oceans continue to enhance the integration of traditional knowledge and harvester expertise in scientific assessments and studies. Harvesters, particularly those who have worked in the industry and on water for decades, possess invaluable insights into the ecology, behaviour and social patterns of fish populations that cannot easily be captured through standard scientific methodologies.
We recommend that the Fisheries Act be revised to explicitly require the inclusion of harvester knowledge in all scientific assessments and studies conducted by DFO. This could be accomplished by fostering more formalized partnerships between DFO and harvesters, particularly through the use of collaborative research networks. By recognizing the importance of this on-the-water experience and knowledge, we can ensure that fisheries management decisions are based on a more holistic understanding of ecosystems, leading to better, more sustainable outcomes.
Additionally, this inclusion would help bridge the gap between the scientific community and the harvesters themselves, fostering trust and collaboration and ensuring that the management strategies are grounded in both scientific and traditional knowledge. This is essential for making informed and effective decisions that are reflective of the realities on the water as well as adapting to the rapidly changing ocean environment.
Third are socio-economic considerations in fisheries decision-making. The Minister of Fisheries and Oceans must be explicitly mandated to consider socio-economic factors when making decisions regarding fisheries management. In particular, when DFO makes a decision that affects specific fisheries, the socio-economic impacts on local communities, harvesters and related industries must be fully accounted for. These considerations include the impact on local employment, the livelihood of harvesters and the broader community economy, including dependent industries such as processing and support industries such as boatbuilding, machine shops, rigging companies and the like.
In some cases, well-intentioned conservation measures can disproportionately harm the livelihoods of coastal communities if socio-economic impacts are not sufficiently considered. Examples are changing of fish quotas and closing of fishing areas, or restrictive regulations that may have unintended consequences for local economies. It is crucial that the Fisheries Act require the minister to assess the socio-economic effects of decisions with a focus to ensure that communities most impacted by these decisions are supported in their transition to new practices or alternatives, should those be necessary.
A more integrated approach to decision-making, one that balances ecological sustainability with social and economic considerations, will help ensure that the Fisheries Act remains a tool that supports vibrant, resilient fishing communities.
Finally, the fourth is about strategic assets. The federation recommends that the Fisheries Act include criteria to protect our public resource by declaring it a strategic asset. This could be done by mirroring recent action taken around the Canadian critical minerals strategy. In the interim, we recommend that the federal government freeze licence transfers to any entity other than independent harvesters.
The continued erosion of our independent fleets living in coastal communities depends on strong action by the Government of Canada. This strategy would focus on the importance of resource protections to ensure sustainability and include the value to Canada of food security.
In conclusion, the Fisheries Act is an essential framework for managing one of Canada's most important natural resources, and its review presents an opportunity to improve the way we manage and protect our fisheries, ensuring the long-term sustainability and prosperity of the communities that depend on them. By strengthening the owner-operator principle, incorporating harvester knowledge into scientific assessments, declaring this important resource a strategic asset and ensuring that socio-economic considerations are integrated into decision-making, we can create a more inclusive, effective, balanced fisheries management system from coast to coast.
We urge this committee—