Yes.
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.
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.
2:40 p.m.
Regional Director General, Newfoundland and Labrador Region, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
Yes.
2:40 p.m.
Conservative
Rick Perkins Conservative South Shore—St. Margarets, NS
Okay.
Can the minister or perhaps one of the officials tell me what science was done to determine the abundance of the stock, the assessment we have in this plan and the annual TAC that's done?
2:40 p.m.
Liberal
Joyce Murray Liberal Vancouver Quadra, BC
Thanks for that question.
My understanding is that a number of different elements go into this. It includes several new elements this year, including data as to what groundfish are eating in the area. A variety of types of data have to then be harmonized. That is part of the process before the actual assessment of TAC can be confirmed.
2:40 p.m.
Conservative
Rick Perkins Conservative South Shore—St. Margarets, NS
Thank you, Minister.
Section 2.4 of the plan states, “There is no directed abundance survey for capelin in the Estuary and Gulf of St. Lawrence”; however, planning for a survey is ongoing.
Can one of the officials or the minister tell me how long that planning for the survey has been going on? When might we start seeing a regular abundance survey of capelin in this area?
2:40 p.m.
Liberal
2:40 p.m.
Regional Director General, Quebec Region, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
It is clear that our data for capelin are fairly limited, so we are trying to make improvements in that regard.
Currently, our capelin data come from reported commercial landings, a fishery performance index derived from commercial landings of the 4R seiner fleet in Newfoundland and Labrador, capelin bycatch by shrimp trawlers, biological samples from commercial catches, and specific bottom-trawl surveys conducted by the department in the summer.
All of that information enhances our data and was used to develop an indicator that was validated through peer review. Our data quality is beginning to improve, and we will certainly see results at the next peer review committee meeting, which is scheduled for April 20.
2:40 p.m.
Conservative
2:40 p.m.
Regional Director General, Quebec Region, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
No, not right now.
2:40 p.m.
Conservative
Rick Perkins Conservative South Shore—St. Margarets, NS
Thank you.
I think that's my time, Mr. Chair.
2:45 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ken McDonald
It is, sir, indeed.
We'll now go to Mr. Morrissey for six minutes or less, please.
2:45 p.m.
Liberal
Bobby Morrissey Liberal Egmont, PE
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Good afternoon from P.E.I., Minister.
I have a couple of questions. I want to get a better understanding of this fishery. I understand that this committee is meeting because of an impact on two weir fishers. Is it correct that there are only two fishers who are licensed to fish?
2:45 p.m.
Liberal
Bobby Morrissey Liberal Egmont, PE
And they have requested moving the opening date from May 1 to April 1.
2:45 p.m.
Liberal
Bobby Morrissey Liberal Egmont, PE
In the past, has the weir fishery been able to exploit their quota or their part of the resource on the opening date?
2:45 p.m.
Liberal
Joyce Murray Liberal Vancouver Quadra, BC
I'll have to ask my officials whether they were able to fully exploit their portion. I know that it's a very small portion of the overall fishery.
2:45 p.m.
Liberal
Bobby Morrissey Liberal Egmont, PE
Yes, but were they able to catch the amount they were allowed to catch? Who could answer that?
2:45 p.m.
Regional Director General, Quebec Region, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
Mr. Chair, I'd like to thank Mr. Morrissey for the question.
For the capelin fishery, it's a total quota that takes into account the entire 4RST division. Since capelin—
2:45 p.m.
Liberal
Bobby Morrissey Liberal Egmont, PE
Okay. That's fine.
My next question, Minister and officials, would be, if it's part of a global quota, what is the effect on the capelin fishery in this region? Does it include...outside of the area designated for the weir fishery? Is it the same stock that's part of this global quota that impacts all the Gaspé region?
Could you just explain that a bit more? Are we just talking about the geographic area where these two weir fishers are, or is it a larger geographic area affecting other fishers?
2:45 p.m.
Liberal
Joyce Murray Liberal Vancouver Quadra, BC
I know that it's all managed as one stock. For any substock elements, perhaps Mr. Vézina can answer.
2:45 p.m.
Liberal
Bobby Morrissey Liberal Egmont, PE
Could you tell us how many fishers are licensed to fish this quota that could be exploited by the weir fishers?
2:45 p.m.
Regional Director General, Quebec Region, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
Yes.
Mr. Chair, I'd like to thank Mr. Morrissey for the question.
Only two fishers harvest weir. They are based in an area where there are no other capelin fishers. The closest fishers are in the 4T division, to be precise. The other fishers in Quebec are in the 4S division, in Blanc‑Sablon, so right along the Labrador border.
2:45 p.m.
Regional Director General, Quebec Region, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
Unfortunately, I don't know the answer to that.
Mr. Blanchard may have the information for the entire 4S fishery.
Can you answer that, Mr. Blanchard?
2:45 p.m.
Regional Director General, Newfoundland and Labrador Region, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
I'm checking for that number right now, but we're probably in the range of 300. That's in the entire stock area, but I'll get a better number for you shortly.