Fisheries Committee on March 31st, 2022

[Lisa Marie Barron, NDP, Nanaimo—Ladysmith, BC]

Thank you, Chair.

Mr. Harris, my question is for you. You can probably fill in some other pieces, if you'd like.

I appreciate what has come from all of the witnesses here today around the fact that this is an ongoing issue. The spill occurred, but we're continuing to see debris washing up on our shores. It really does speak to the timeliness of this study occurring so that we can better understand how to prevent these spills from occurring and also to mitigate the environmental impacts and costs to our coasts that will happen moving forward.

Mr. Harris, can you speak to the ongoing communications with the Coast Guard as debris has continued to wash up on the shores? What does that look like with your work? What has occurred to help clean up the debris?

[Lucas Harris]

Thank you very much for the question.

I'm going to allow Ms. Hoyland to respond. She's been much more involved on the ground with the coordination of the different organizations involved.

[Alys Hoyland]

Thanks, Lucas.

We haven't had very much communication from the Coast Guard in terms of reports of debris. The information that we have has come from information sharing between ourselves and our peers within the BC Marine Debris Working Group. The information that we have available and the manifest, if you can call it that, that we've developed has purely been from the information that we've recorded as individual entities as members of the BC Marine Debris Working Group.

In terms of information that's been reported to the Coast Guard, we haven't been made privy to that. I would very much like to suggest that open communication with the Coast Guard would be very much appreciated, though.

[Lisa Marie Barron, NDP, Nanaimo—Ladysmith, BC]

To clarify, when you find debris on the beaches, what's the next step that you take as an organization?

[Alys Hoyland]

If it's container-related debris, then we have been keeping a record of that. We've been taking coordinates and photos where possible and then sharing that within our network so that we can further build our understanding of how far the debris is spreading, what types of debris is washing in where and also to gather evidence that this issue isn't over yet.

There's also survey work that's been undertaken by Rugged Coast Research Society and Living Oceans. Surfrider has been involved in a minor part in terms of the survey work with helicopters to get a broader sense of the larger stretch of coastline that's been affected.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ken McDonald]

Thank you, Ms. Barron.

Mr. Small, you're up next. We have about three minutes left, if you want to use those three minutes in questioning.

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

I'll just give each witness a minute to tell us what they'd like to see out of this study.

We'll go in the order that you're listed.

Ms. Wristen, please go first.

[Karen Wristen]

Thank you.

What I would most like to see is the establishment of the joint spill response task force, integrating it among the federal, provincial and first nations jurisdictions involved and getting it properly resourced to be able to respond to a spill in a timely manner.

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

Go ahead, Mr. Harris.

[Lucas Harris]

I think it's time to see leadership from the federal government to really add capacity with regard to spill response. Volunteers have done an amazing job rising to the occasion when these events do happen, but, as you've heard today, there's so much more work that needs to be done to fill the gap.

I think it goes beyond the volunteer organizations. We're happy to play a critical role in being that on-the-ground feedback loop, but this is an opportunity to enter this space and create a spill response regime that will help to really reduce the impact to the marine environment.

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

Thank you, Mr. Harris.

Go ahead, Ms. Hoyland.

[Alys Hoyland]

I'm echoing everything that my colleagues have said here and also adding that ongoing monitoring as part of a strategic marine debris management plan is essential for us to get a better understanding of the threats that are facing our coastline from marine debris, part of that being container cargo spills.

It's absolutely unconscionable that these pre-consumer items, items that have been created and never used, are being dumped wholesale into our oceans and left for communities to clean up. Ongoing monitoring and a strategic plan that engages first nations, the BC Marine Debris Working Group and coastal communities to address this issue and implement upstream solutions, including extended producer responsibility, are essential for moving forward.

[Karen Wristen]

If I may, funding on a regular, annual basis is needed to fund all of the shoreline cleanup work that needs to be done, whether it's a result of ongoing activity on the ocean or container spills.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ken McDonald]

Thank you, witnesses, for your participation here at committee today and the information that you've shared with us.

I want to remind members before we go to get their witness list to the clerk for the next study on scientific studies and advice for DFO. The deadline would be Monday, April 4, at 5 p.m.

I'd like to thank all committee members.

Thank you, Mr. Ellis, for filling in for your colleague, Mr. Perkins, in the last 45 minutes or so. I know you didn't get a chance to participate, but I've seen you in the House and I think you'll fit in quite well in your role as an MP. Again, welcome to committee.

[Stephen Ellis, Conservative, Cumberland—Colchester, NS]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ken McDonald]

Thank you to the interpreters, analysts, clerk and all staff.

The meeting is adjourned.