Evidence of meeting #90 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 fines.
A recording is available from Parliament.
1:15 p.m.
Conservative
Clifford Small Conservative Coast of Bays—Central—Notre Dame, NL
I asked Mr. Fox about that mackerel product that's being sold in southwest Nova Scotia right now as bait.
Mr. MacPherson, how is it possible that product is stamped “2023 Product of Canada”, when the mackerel fishery is shut down for all commercial purposes? I know that a bait element still exists, somewhat.
November 30th, 2023 / 1:15 p.m.
Executive Director, Prince Edward Island Fishermen's Association
I can't comment on the process on that side of the industry, but to segue or to add on to what Mr. Arnold just asked there, maybe CFIA is an agency that should also be part of it, because they're quite involved in authorizing both imports and exports, I believe.
Are they, for example, notified that some product is in moratorium and needs to be questioned if it's being exported?
1:15 p.m.
Conservative
Clifford Small Conservative Coast of Bays—Central—Notre Dame, NL
Thank you, Mr. MacPherson.
You've heard among your group loud and clear that they want at least a bait fishery for mackerel. How do you think the people in the Maritimes and Newfoundland and Labrador are going to feel about that product coming on the market? If it's being caught, that's unbelievable. They're going to be pretty riled up down there.
What do you think?
1:15 p.m.
Executive Director, Prince Edward Island Fishermen's Association
The mackerel fishery is very controversial right now, as mentioned earlier. There needs to be more dialogue with the U.S., because Canada's gone into a moratorium, and the American quota hasn't varied very much, so, basically, it's not helping the resource.
There are lots of aspects to this.
1:15 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ken McDonald
Thank you, Mr. Small.
That puts us at the end of our questioning today.
1:20 p.m.
Conservative
Clifford Small Conservative Coast of Bays—Central—Notre Dame, NL
You were about to say “Mr. Tall”, weren't you?
1:20 p.m.
Some hon. members
Oh, oh!
1:20 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ken McDonald
I want to say a big thank you to Mr. Fox and to Mr. MacPherson for appearing before the committee today and for sharing your knowledge. I know Mr. MacPherson has been here many times over the last five or six years.
Again, thank you to everyone.
I will let everybody know that at the next meeting, on Tuesday, DFO will be appearing on the supplementary (B)s for the first hour. In the second hour, we will resume the study with witnesses on illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.
I want to thank everyone for their patience today as we navigated through the committee and the votes.
I want to say thank you to the clerk, the analysts and, of course, the interpreters, and to the people who work to make this meeting possible each and every day.
Enjoy your weekend.
The meeting is adjourned.