Good morning, Mr. Chairman, and members of the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans and other presenters. I appreciate the opportunity to speak on the most important and controversial fishery science topics, seal predation, and its impact on Canada's east, west, and Arctic fisheries.
This year is the 30th anniversary of the closure of the northern cod fishery. Once the greatest fishery in the world, it was closed in July 1992, and represents the largest layoff in Canadian history. After three decades of a moratorium, imposed fishing regulations and continued science, the northern cod and other fisheries are a mere fraction of their previous existence.
DFO's latest science indicates that cod stocks remain in a critical state with little recovery. The fishing industry and the public for many years have pointed to record seal populations and predation as a possible cause. DFO science is reluctant to accept the impact of seals on any fish stocks, i.e., Atlantic cod, capelin, Atlantic mackerel, or west and east coast salmon, and instead remains dismissive and ignores the evidence provided by fishers, indigenous people, industry associations and seal science from other North Atlantic fishing nations—countries with the same seal and fish species as our own.
There is considerable international commentary regarding the impact of pinnipeds on fisheries. Countries like Norway, Iceland, the United States, the Baltics and Scandinavia are recognizing the impact of seals. All of these countries have fewer seal species than Canada, and most with only a few hundred thousand animals compared with our estimated combined population of 10 million in Atlantic Canada.
DFO in January 2022 provided information on daily harp seal consumption rates at 3% of body weight, or roughly 3 kilograms per day, while data from Norwegian scientists indicate higher rates, up to 7 to 9 kilograms per day. The difference when extrapolated over 7.6 million harp seals is significant and cannot be discounted. Norway, in 1986 and 1995, experienced significant decline in all fish resources. Their science referred to it as a harp seal “invasion”. Depletion of our fisheries leading up to 1992 has not received a similar review by Canada's fisheries managers.
I hope you got my handout there, and I do include two graphs. One is from Norwegian science. You see the two valleys there in the mid-1980s and the mid-1990s, and above they have written in there “seal invasion”. This is directly from Norwegian scientists. Below I include a chart from DFO of northwest Atlantic cod production, and you see the decline leading up to the moratorium in 1992. That decline, that horizontal line, continues across the chart without any recovery.
Most recently, after the submission of the Atlantic seal science task team report, there has been a discussion of a seal summit or forum. There have been far too many seal studies, committees and forums without any real action. There are many other Atlantic seal science task team recommendations relating to enhanced diet sampling, spatial analysis through the entire seal habitat, market access, greater fisher participation in science programs and the important analysis of resident river seals. These recommended science activities should be prioritized and implemented immediately.
In closing, I will include a media quote from a senior DFO scientist that “For years, fishermen have have been told it's fishing that drives populations” and that DFO manages fishermen, not fish, so it's only natural fishermen might consider seals as a competitive fishery.
I call it “predator envy”. From my lifetime of experience and perspective, there is no envy in the current state of Canada's fishery or its science program. It's time for action and not endless debate.
Thank you for your valuable time. I look forward to answering any questions and sharing all related information.