Evidence of meeting #17 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 capelin.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Deputy Minister, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
Mr. Chair, we can certainly get the member that information.
NDP
Lisa Marie Barron NDP Nanaimo—Ladysmith, BC
Thank you.
Minister, I would be remiss not to ask, while we're here, about one issue that's very important to constituents in my riding.
We're talking about workers and the impacts on fishers right now. I wanted to put out there that right now on the west coast we're seeing the impacts of the open-net fish farms in our Pacific waters. A commitment was made by the Liberal government to have these fish farms out of the Pacific waters by 2025. Instead, we're seeing expansions of the fish farms. Sea lions have been trapped in one of the fish farms in Clayoquot Sound and they remain there as we speak. We know that there are detrimental impacts on our marine ecosystem.
Liberal
Ken Hardie Liberal Fleetwood—Port Kells, BC
We are here to focus specifically on the capelin fishery in Madame Desbiens' riding and the two weir fishers. I think it's probably appropriate if we stick with that focus as opposed to broadening it, especially to the extent that Ms. Barron is taking it.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ken McDonald
I tend to agree, Mr. Hardie.
Ms. Barron has gone way over the time limit. We will move on anyway at this point.
I will remind members that Mr. Hardie is correct. The motion actually deals with the issue at hand, and that's exactly what we're supposed to be here for today.
Liberal
Conservative
Mel Arnold Conservative North Okanagan—Shuswap, BC
Thank you, Mr. Chair, and thank you to the minister and officials for being here.
I will move right into questions today.
We've heard it mentioned that the science assessment done for this is quite complex. Minister, I believe you spoke of a framework and that the assessment this year was impacted by the unavailability of specific expertise. Is that the lack of trained personnel to manage this fishery? What were you referring to?
Liberal
Joyce Murray Liberal Vancouver Quadra, BC
Thanks for that question.
I would say that we need more trained personnel so that if the personnel who are trained are unavailable for some unexpected reason, we have backup, and that's exactly what we're doing. We're training some more of our regional personnel to be able to fill in.
Conservative
Mel Arnold Conservative North Okanagan—Shuswap, BC
How many personnel would be in the region under the purview of DFO?
Liberal
Regional Director General, Quebec Region, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
I thank the member for his question.
The team of scientists is certainly quite big. However, because there are many species of fish, when you look into issues like the capelin, you certainly—
Conservative
Mel Arnold Conservative North Okanagan—Shuswap, BC
We're just really looking for the overall number in the department.
Regional Director General, Quebec Region, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
I would say that the overall number is 150 to 160 employees for the Quebec region only.
Conservative
Mel Arnold Conservative North Okanagan—Shuswap, BC
Thank you.
Minister, does DFO's 4RST capelin stock assessment cover the weir fishery in question?
Liberal
Joyce Murray Liberal Vancouver Quadra, BC
My understanding is that the stock is managed as one unit. The assessments for the different parts of it would all be conducted, but the framework is determined and consulted on and made public as one fishery.
Conservative
Mel Arnold Conservative North Okanagan—Shuswap, BC
Thank you.
It's been reported that 30.4%, fewer than one-third, of Canada's wild fisheries are currently considered healthy. What is DFO's classification of the capelin fishery in question? Does DFO consider the population to be healthy, in the cautious zone or in the critical zone?
Liberal
Joyce Murray Liberal Vancouver Quadra, BC
That's the determination that the ministry scientists are doing as we speak. There are meetings happening that will lead to the April 25 decision that will be made public at that time.
I will turn it over to the officials to see if there's anything they'd like to add.
Deputy Minister, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
I would just say that at this time we don't have a precautionary approach, so we don't have it in the critical zone, the healthy zone, or the cautious zone. That's not to say that we don't make decisions based on science. We do. That's the science that, as the minister referred to, will be brought to the stock assessment on April 20 and then to the advisory committee on April 25.
Conservative
Mel Arnold Conservative North Okanagan—Shuswap, BC
Thank you.
Does the capelin population require a rebuilding plan?
Liberal
Joyce Murray Liberal Vancouver Quadra, BC
If it's not framed in terms of the limit reference points—in other words, the critical zone, the cautious zone and the healthy zone—then that would say there is no rebuilding plan at this point, or under way. But as the member is aware, it is our commitment to bring rebuilding plans forward for any stocks and all stocks that are identified as being in the critical zone.
Conservative
Mel Arnold Conservative North Okanagan—Shuswap, BC
Thank you.
We know that capelin is a forage fish for other species harvested and in fisheries like cod. How did DFO's rebuilding plans for species like cod, which feed on capelin, factor into the management decisions for forage fish like capelin?
Liberal
Joyce Murray Liberal Vancouver Quadra, BC
Well, that's an excellent question, and I'm looking forward to the answer. I think what the member is referring to here, in general, is the importance of forage fish as food for other important species like cod, but also for Atlantic salmon or tuna on the east coast. The forage fish are critical to the whole ecosystem of the health of the oceans and the other fish that we count on. That's why we pay attention to them.
I will turn it over to the officials to add to that.