Evidence of meeting #58 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 pinnipeds.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Director, Pacific Balance Pinniped Society
They effectively dealt with them by harvesting them very aggressively. I have a buddy who lives there, and he spearheaded one of the fleets that engaged in that process. I can confirm that that's what went on.
Liberal
Ken Hardie Liberal Fleetwood—Port Kells, BC
Did Norway suffer trade relations with anybody on account of this?
Director, Pacific Balance Pinniped Society
Absolutely not. I would like to point to the fact that Ken alluded to the U.S. revision, which pulled the teeth out of the Marine Mammal Protection Act, such that they could reduce the number of sea lions in their waters.
Contrary to what Dr. Trites is telling you, they aren't just “problematic” ones when you're talking 9,000-plus animals in a year and a half.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ken McDonald
Thank you, sir.
Now we'll go to Mr. Champoux for four minutes or less, please.
Bloc
Martin Champoux Bloc Drummond, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Again, I thank the witnesses for their attendance and their statements.
I will address Ms. Gauthier.
We hear a lot of comments from fishermen. For your part, at the Exploramer Museum, you play a very interesting role in this whole process. You do education and you bring a new perspective on seals. We know that the image of the seal hunt has been really battered over the years; we don't need to go back to that.
Since you opened the Exploramer Museum and have been providing seal hunt education, have you felt a difference in the way people perceive the hunt?
Executive Director, Exploramer
Yes, absolutely. The first year our museum offered seal training, we received death threats and the police had to get involved. Today, we promote these courses even more and we don't see that kind of backlash on social media at all. People from all over Quebec are raising their hands to take the training, but unfortunately they don't have access to this training or to hunting licenses.
People in New Brunswick are also starting to take a strong interest in seals. So it's not just in Quebec anymore that people want to hunt seals.
In addition to the personal use hunt, this kind of hunt could become a very interesting lever for the economic development of Quebec's coastal regions, especially during the off-seasons for tourism. We could revalue our regions by offering sealing packages with experienced guides who know how to do things right, where hunters could enjoy the meat that evening.
Bloc
Martin Champoux Bloc Drummond, QC
Earlier, in your opening remarks, you said that the processing plant in the Magdalen Islands was not enough. We still need a fairly substantial production to be able to supply a grocery store chain like Metro in Quebec. Yet, the seal hunt is still subject to quotas and the issue of international acceptability is ongoing.
Do you feel that we are able to do everything regionally in Quebec to curb the problem, or at least that we are doing our share of work before we work abroad?
As you pointed out, we are still missing at least two processing plants. Also, the hunting season should probably be extended. We would also have to get Quebeckers to want to eat seal meat. You are doing this work in order to raise awareness of the different products that come from the seal hunt.
However, do you feel that we can solve part of the problem by acting locally, in Quebec, or that we absolutely must have international relationships for this product?
Executive Director, Exploramer
First of all, we are not yet successful in meeting the Quebec demand. So let's start by feeding ourselves. This is a basic principle of food autonomy and sustainable development. Let's start by fully meeting Quebec's demand. Once we have saturated the market, we can turn to foreign markets. At the moment, we are not there. In Quebec, we are not able to meet the demand.
People want to have seal. For our part, since 2009, we have been working to market this meat not as a low-end product, but as a high-end product, healthy, without growth hormones...
Bloc
Martin Champoux Bloc Drummond, QC
I apologize for interrupting, but I only have 10 seconds left and I would like you to tell me which part of the seal you prefer.
Executive Director, Exploramer
The flipper, to make duck fat confit flipper.
Bloc
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ken McDonald
Thank you for that.
We'll now go to Ms. Barron, for four minutes or less, please.
NDP
Lisa Marie Barron NDP Nanaimo—Ladysmith, BC
Thank you, Chair, and thank you to all the witnesses, in particular the witnesses from beautiful Vancouver Island. Welcome.
First, I want to make clear, and I can only speak for myself, of course, that I'm very much in support of sustainable seal harvesting and did not support Bill C-251. I want to point out that the two don't necessarily go hand in hand.
I'm looking at a proposal here from 2018. It's quite a while ago now, and before I was in this position. Can you share a bit what you are proposing? What happens around a seal harvest on the west coast?
President, Pacific Balance Pinniped Society
First and foremost, we're starting off with an experimental stage. This isn't a “go out and clean out the stock”. Our initial proposition is to take 5,000 seals in the first year, do a full analysis, and do thorough market research with them. It's as simple as that.
NDP
Lisa Marie Barron NDP Nanaimo—Ladysmith, BC
In your opening statement, you talked about the involvement of 115 first nations. Can you speak a bit about what are you hearing from first nations who are involved?
President, Pacific Balance Pinniped Society
Yes, very definitely.
We've got the three largest groups on the coast, the Fraser Salmon Management Council, with Ken Malloway. We've got Ned Murray with the LFFA, and of course we have the group on the island as well. There are scatter groups that we haven't included, but they are in full support, in writing, of our IFMP.
NDP
Lisa Marie Barron NDP Nanaimo—Ladysmith, BC
I want to ask Mr. Stabler a question. Can you speak a bit more around the market implications in the U.S., and how moving forward with a seal harvest may or may not impact our seafood here and our relationship with the U.S.?
Director, Pacific Balance Pinniped Society
That's a really good question, Lisa Marie. I'm happy you asked it.
As I noted previously, the Americans seriously altered their Marine Mammal Protection Act to allow them to cull. I must point out that there is a large difference here. We are looking at harvest, utilizing maximum product from that animal, and they culled 9,000-plus sea lions. They are in no position to sanction any country that does the same and is under a harvest regime, and they will not do it.
NDP
Lisa Marie Barron NDP Nanaimo—Ladysmith, BC
With my final minute, I want to give my colleague, Mr. Arnold, an opportunity to ask a question, because I want to make sure that Mr. Stabler has the opportunity to expand on his opening remarks.
Conservative
Mel Arnold Conservative North Okanagan—Shuswap, BC
Thank you.
Do you feel that DFO's decision-making process can be trusted when it comes to pinniped management? Yes or no.
Director, Pacific Balance Pinniped Society
You saw my partner's reaction. No.
Conservative
Mel Arnold Conservative North Okanagan—Shuswap, BC
It's an absolute no. Okay, thank you.
What do fishermen see now on the water, compared to a couple of decades or longer ago?
Director, Pacific Balance Pinniped Society
I alluded to that previously. It's gone from 400 boats to 30.
I am out of the industry now. Why am I retiring? We're going to get three weeks, and that's our season.
What we saw was robust salmon stocks in incredible numbers. Then we saw the wave of Californians move in under blanket “marine mammal protection”, and the increase of the local Stellers and local harp seals.
Our quota went to nothing. We catch nothing at this point in time.
Why? They are being eaten on the way out of the river; they're being eaten on the way back to the river.
The resource is in serious trouble. If we don't do anything about it, they're gone.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ken McDonald
Thank you, Mr. Arnold.
We'll now go to Mr. Small for three minutes or less, please.
I understand you were intending to share your time with Mr. Bragdon. I'll leave that up to you.
Mr. Bragdon doesn't want your time now, according to the finger he's waving at you.
You have three minutes or less, please.