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.
Liberal
Bobby Morrissey Liberal Egmont, PE
Okay.
The reason for my question, Minister, is that there is a long history of having advisory committees that are consulted with before substantive changes are made within the fisheries. If a change is made here, my question goes to this potential impact in a larger area, because there's one stock here in a particular geographic area, including other parts of Quebec, including the Gaspé and Labrador. Would I be correct in that opinion, Minister?
Liberal
Joyce Murray Liberal Vancouver Quadra, BC
Well, yes, that's because it's managed as one stock. Also, there is always a precedent set if a decision is taken, for example, to make a change without doing a full consultation with others.
I think one thing that's also relevant here is that the weir fishery has always opened on May 1, because ice conditions didn't allow for the spawning biomass to come on the beaches for the weir fishery before then. Last year was an unusual year, when the weather was warmer. The ice melted earlier, and the fishery could have been prosecuted earlier, but for 10 years, May 1 has been just fine. That's why we are consulting with the harvesters as to the possibility of making an opening on April 1 from here on, even though it's likely that the area will be iced in and they won't be able to utilize it.
Because climate change is changing the patterns, there could be another year of early opening and early ice melt and, in that way, if there is agreement on April 1 for the weir fishery itself, that will enable these two fishers to pursue what I consider a culturally significant and important fishery in the Charlevoix area.
Liberal
Bobby Morrissey Liberal Egmont, PE
Okay. I have a little time.
Minister, it's my understanding—and I'm not overly familiar with capelin—that capelin is a fish resource that's prone to wide fluctuations in biomass. Is that correct?
Liberal
Bobby Morrissey Liberal Egmont, PE
Getting management right is extremely critical to the long-term availability of this resource. Is that a fair conclusion?
Liberal
Joyce Murray Liberal Vancouver Quadra, BC
Absolutely. Getting widespread input into the TAC and the opening date is very important. It doesn't work to freelance and do openings that are not set in the frame for the capelin stock for a particular year.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ken McDonald
Thank you, Mr. Morrissey.
We'll now go to Madame Desbiens for six minutes or less, please.
Bloc
Caroline Desbiens Bloc Beauport—Côte-de-Beaupré—Île dOrléans—Charlevoix, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I want to start by thanking everyone for mobilizing in response to my request. This is an issue that requires urgent attention in my view. Obviously, I would have preferred that the circumstances be different, but this was a last attempt to save the two weir fishers in my region. Unfortunately, the fishery is in jeopardy just as the Government of Quebec is looking to give it an intangible heritage designation.
I want to recognize how many people have come together to make this meeting happen, from the interpreters and the clerk to the technical support team and my fellow members. Considerable effort has been expended to address an issue that has a minor impact on the stock, but a huge impact on the survival of two fishers. That is why today's meeting is so important.
My first question is for you, Minister.
What exactly do you know about capelin fishing? Have any of the officials with you today ever seen the capelin weir fishery first-hand?
Liberal
Joyce Murray Liberal Vancouver Quadra, BC
I won't speak for my team, Madame Desbiens, but there are many fisheries that I have not been present at that I learn about, as the minister. Working with my department and the science, I make decisions accordingly.
In terms of the importance of this meeting, I agree.
I also had the opportunity to follow up on your request to convene a meeting. We discussed it, and I asked department officials to look into your request. For that reason, the opening date of the fishery may be moved up this season and in future seasons.
Bloc
Caroline Desbiens Bloc Beauport—Côte-de-Beaupré—Île dOrléans—Charlevoix, QC
Thank you.
It's wonderful to hear you say that you are open to the possibility of giving our weir fishers special consideration.
I want to ask you about two things.
We are here this afternoon to help you and your team understand that the minimal impact of the capelin fishery may not be a good enough reason to stamp out the livelihood of these two fishers. That is why we want to see a moratorium or special permit issued in connection with the conduct of this specifically defined fishery, recognizing its minimal impact on the stock, so that fishers can begin harvesting immediately.
The capelin are rolling. I put on my rubber boots and saw it for myself. They roll in and die on the shore before being eaten by gulls. What people want is fresh fish right away.
What's more, every day counts for the fishers because they catch small quantities at a time. Every day, those small catches are distributed while the fish are fresh, and they are processed right away. People are very happy with the product, especially when it comes to buying local.
Here's my first question. Are you open to letting the fishery proceed immediately? Seniors are waiting for the capelin, and people are mobilizing. Everyone is waiting for the capelin.
Here's my second question. Can you invite the two fishers to participate in the consultation process so that they can explain the reality of the capelin fishery to the department's scientists and make their case?
Keep in mind, Minister, that the weir fishers are not looking for the season to open on April 1. They want it to open when the capelin start rolling.
Liberal
Joyce Murray Liberal Vancouver Quadra, BC
Thank you, Mrs. Desbiens and Mr. Chair.
I heard the member raise this point about the capelin life cycle and the minimal impact this fishery has on the resource at a previous committee meeting.
What you must understand is that we manage several fisheries across Canada—
Bloc
Liberal
Joyce Murray Liberal Vancouver Quadra, BC
To have the trust of the public and of fishers, it's very important that the Department of Fisheries and Oceans have a framework governing how people fish, when people fish, how much people can fish and who is allowed to fish. You're asking me to break with that.
Liberal
Joyce Murray Liberal Vancouver Quadra, BC
I've asked the department to find a way to open this fishery a little earlier this year and in years to come.
Bloc
Caroline Desbiens Bloc Beauport—Côte-de-Beaupré—Île dOrléans—Charlevoix, QC
Thank you for your response, Madam Minister.
Mr. Chair, I believe I have a little time left to ask one last question.
Why, for the past year—
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ken McDonald
Madame Desbiens, you have four seconds left in your time. It's hardly time for a question and an answer.
Bloc
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ken McDonald
I'm sure we'll get back to you again during this portion of the meeting.
I will now go to Ms. Barron for six minutes or less, please.
NDP
Lisa Marie Barron NDP Nanaimo—Ladysmith, BC
Thank you, Chair.
Thank you, Minister, for being here today.
Taking in all of this information that we're talking about today, I'm wondering if you could clarify, Minister or staff, a little bit more about what the consultation process that you're referring to would look like with those impacted if this date were to be moved up a month this time next year.
Liberal
Deputy Minister, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
If we move the fishery date up a month to April 1, which is what we are considering doing and what the meeting that will happen later in this month will consider, we would need to make sure that the science assessments that we need to do for that assessment meeting are done in time so that we can have the meeting in March.
NDP
Lisa Marie Barron NDP Nanaimo—Ladysmith, BC
Thank you.
In regard to the science that's used, I know that previously there have been benchmarks used in making those decisions. What would that look like for the science that would be used to support the decision to move up the date by a month? Can you expand a little bit more on that?