Evidence of meeting #12 for Fisheries and Oceans in the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was decisions.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Patrick Weiler
Thank you very much. If the other witnesses would like to respond to that as well, it's going to have to be in writing because we are over time.
Our last speaker is Mr. Klassen for two minutes.
Liberal
Ernie Klassen Liberal South Surrey—White Rock, BC
Thank you.
Mr. Teegee, we talked about co-management quite a bit here today. Based on the fact that we're looking at indigenous and harvesters' knowledge being used whenever decisions are being made, are there inconsistencies in how those decisions are being made, looking at everybody's knowledge base?
Regional Chief, Assembly of First Nations
No, I don't think so. I think the point is what historically has been an issue with DFO: the mismanagement of how decisions are made. Some of it doesn't make sense to some of the fisheries people, especially indigenous people, and especially when there's a test fishery that is poorly understood in regard to how many fish are out there. For example, as I shared earlier on, there was an estimate of 100,000, and 700,000 came back.
Certainly, science should be utilized in regard to how decisions are being made, but there's also first nations knowledge out there, and first nations knowledge systems. I think co-management would better serve those who don't have a voice, in particular the fishers who are out there. I think that's really important. We have more and more people, I suppose, who are out fishing and who are out on the land and who are out on the water. We have fish monitors.
I think it's really important to have that type of knowledge out there on how decisions are made.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Patrick Weiler
Thank you very much, Mr. Klassen.
That completes our second panel.
Thank you to all our witnesses, those here in person and those on video conference, for your testimony. I'll remind you that if you have anything additional you'd like to submit for consideration as part of this study, please do so in writing and it will be looked into.
Our next meeting will again be a review of the Fisheries Act. The clerk is going to reach out about additional witnesses based on the motion by Monsieur Deschênes, which passed.
With that, the committee is adjourned.