Fisheries Committee on Nov. 25th, 2025

[Mike Dawson, Conservative, Miramichi—Grand Lake, NB]

How well did the federal organizations incorporate perspectives from locals that may have affected these areas such as but not, of course, limited to fishermen, community leaders and stakeholders?

[Jerry V. DeMarco]

We have examples of the collaboration focusing mainly on this report and the sister report on co-operative management with indigenous communities, so we did touch on that.

The audit was not about the quality of the consultation process; it was evaluating their progress towards meeting the targets of 25 by 25 and 30 by 30. It is possible to do an audit of the quality of the consultation processes, but that was not the focus of this particular audit.

[Mike Dawson, Conservative, Miramichi—Grand Lake, NB]

In your review, are New Brunswick's marine ecosystems adequately represented in the national conservation plan? If so, can you explain how that is?

[Jerry V. DeMarco]

We touch on the qualitative elements in our report, including well-connected and ecological representation, which you're talking about; the importance of biodiversity and the importance to ecosystem functions in paragraph 31 and later in the report; and the need for an updated collaborative framework for achieving those qualitative as well as quantitative targets. We did not do an analysis region by region of how well they have met those qualitative targets. The departments may have done so.

I know that Parks Canada has done some analysis regarding ecological representation, so perhaps they can assist with answering that question.

[David Millar]

Our bioregions don't necessarily align with provincial boundaries, so I wouldn't necessarily be able to say how they align with New Brunswick specifically.

Lori, do you want to speak to how we're doing relative to the network plan and the bioregions?

[Lori Macadam, Director, National Marine Conservation Areas Establishment, Parks Canada Agency]

We are currently not working around New Brunswick. We are looking at completing the sites that are listed in exhibit 6. Once those sites have been deemed feasible or not feasible at this time, and the negotiations have been completed to establish these sites, then we would look at expanding to make sure that we have representativity in all of the 29 marine regions that Parks Canada has identified, and where we strive to have one representative site per those 29 marine regions.

[Mike Dawson, Conservative, Miramichi—Grand Lake, NB]

Is there any reason why you're not looking at New Brunswick?

[Lori Macadam]

As part of the past Liberal government, we were given the mandate to look at 10 new national marine conservation areas, and we had 10 that we were looking at—actually, we had a few more than that. We're just trying to make sure that we're doing a very good job at the consultation, taking the time needed for the 10 that we originally started with, and then we would move on to complete the rest of the marine regions that we would like to complete, including in and around New Brunswick.

[Mike Dawson, Conservative, Miramichi—Grand Lake, NB]

Thank you.

My next questions are for the representatives from DFO. What modelling or socio-economic studies has DFO conducted to understand how potential MPAs in the Gulf of St. Lawrence or the Bay of Fundy may affect New Brunswick's harvesting seasons, gear types and access to traditional fishing areas? In other words, how is DFO balancing conservation planning with the economic stability of New Brunswick's coastal communities?

[Kathy Graham]

As mentioned previously, in terms of advancing our sites, we always consult in terms of understanding potential economic impacts with a goal of being able to work with the fishing industry and other actors in order to adjust boundaries where possible and necessary in an effort to ensure that those impacts are minimal.

[Mike Dawson, Conservative, Miramichi—Grand Lake, NB]

Can the department confirm if zone 23D is still a disaster zone?

[Kathy Graham]

I'm unable to speak to that.

[Mike Dawson, Conservative, Miramichi—Grand Lake, NB]

The CESD audit results for DFO show significant delays in creating new Oceans Act MPAs. Meanwhile, the Shediac Valley area of interest right off the coast of Miramichi—Grand Lake has been designated as such since 2011. Does DFO foresee establishing any MPA in or around New Brunswick waters before 2030?

[The Chair, Liberal, Patrick Weiler]

Give a brief answer, please.

[Kathy Graham]

We're currently working on the strategy for 2030. At this time, I don't have all the sites.

[The Chair, Liberal, Patrick Weiler]

Thank you very much.

Next, we are going to Mr. Morrissey for five minutes.

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

Thank you, Chair.

This question is to either Mr. DeMarco or Ms. Graham.

Following up on an earlier question, I want to refer to the small marine protected area on the northern Newfoundland coast, which, I believe, is viewed as a lobster habitat area. Would the existing Fisheries Act or acts that cover the ocean provide the same protection in that area as a marine protected area does?

[Jerry V. DeMarco]

I'll start, and then DFO may have something to add.

The baseline protections from the Fisheries Act relating to pollution and habitat loss—and regulation of fishing, for that matter—are not to the same degree of protection as a marine protected area, for example.

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

Am I correct that the regulations in the Fisheries Act or the other acts would not have provided the protection for that vital lobster habitat area in that part of coastal Newfoundland?

[Jerry V. DeMarco]

Establishing a protected area under the definition in this report and under the definition of the domestic legislation and the IUCN categories internationally increases the level of protection to the point at which it would be recognized as a truly protected area. That's really the focus of this report.

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

I agree, because that was set up, and it's protected and viewed as vital.

Ms. Graham, could you briefly tell the committee about a common misconception—or misinformation—that is spread around marine protected areas?

[Kathy Graham]

Mr. Chair, in my experience, what we're hearing the most is a perception that marine protected areas are no-take zones, which in fact is not the case in Canada. Fishing activities occur in all of our marine protected areas. The measures that are put in place within the marine protected areas are really meant to only apply to activities that pose a risk to the conservation objective that is sought for that marine protected area.

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

If you really wanted to whip up public opinion against something with misinformation, you would use the notion that all fishing would be restricted, which is not the case.

[Kathy Graham]

Exactly. Marine protected areas are not no-take zones in Canada.

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

We often hear questions coming from the official opposition about the economic impact of some of the moves made. We never hear questions coming from them about the economic impact of doing nothing. If there's one party in the House of Commons that is a climate change denier, it is the official opposition, the Conservative Party. We see time and again the consequences that climate change is having on the fisheries and the real livelihoods of fishers.

Could you give an opinion on that? Is there any analysis being done? We hear some caution being expressed on the warming waters of the gulf, all related to climate change, and the economic consequences of doing nothing.