Fisheries Committee on Nov. 1st, 2022

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

Yes, Mr. Chidley, I understand that. Quite frankly, I'll be candid: That sounds good, but it did not stop the situation that occurred in 2017, which triggered a very negative reaction from the U.S. government. I'm from P.E.I. and I experienced what a sovereign government can do. They can close their border any time they choose. We can fight in the trade courts, and 10 years later we may win or lose, but no fishery can sustain a freeze-out from the European or the U.S. market for that period of time.

I'm not advocating we cut an arm off, but continuing to say that everyone else is the problem and we should forget about being proactive and ad hoc.... We agree that one size will not fit all, but I still don't hear concrete solutions other than “Impact somebody else, not us.”

[Gerard Chidley]

No, that's not what it is at all.

What I'm saying is that we continue on to the development of creating a tracking system that allows us to be proactive on the east coast.

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

But if the people there say that the tracking system is not achievable in the short term or even in the near future and would not be comprehensive enough to protect the whale, then it comes back to the gear.

What do we have to do to change our fishing methods or some of the material we use to ensure fishers can still get their catch and protect the whale? You're moving to put the issue over onto the whale and not address it through the gear. Do you see nothing that can be done to modify the fishing gear that would protect the whale?

[Gerard Chidley]

One of the things you were talking about with that fishing gear, the breaking strength—

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

I don't think it will work in the gulf either. I'm with you on that.

[Gerard Chidley]

Well, that's the same thing.

What we're saying is that there is an option here. The option here is to develop a tracking system that allows you to be proactive and lets you know where the whales are going to be. That's why radar was developed. It was because of the Titanic. We have to be doing that. We can't just say, “Look, you have to close the fishery because of this.”

You referenced the seals. Consumers did not shut down the seals; propaganda did.

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

Yes.

[Gerard Chidley]

This is what we're dealing with here. The same—

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

Yes, we agree on that. Propaganda will shut us down—

[Gerard Chidley]

Well, if we agree on that, then we should agree on the development of a tracking system to put on right whales to protect them.

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

Propaganda is the consumer.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ken McDonald]

Thank you, Mr. Morrissey. That closes our rounds of questioning for today's meeting.

I want to say a big thank you to Mr. Cormier, Mr. Haché, and of course to Mr. Chidley for sharing their knowledge with the committee here today. We thank Mr. Chidley for appearing in person and sharing his knowledge of the last 50 years on the water in fishing various species. That is very valuable information.

We're going to recess for a couple of minutes while we switch over to an in camera meeting. Then we have some instructions for our analysts.

[Proceedings continue in camera]