Thank you, Mr. Chair.
It is a pleasure for me to be here at the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans.
Canada has the best seafood in the world. Around the world, when people see the maple leaf on seafood, they know that they're getting a quality product that is ethically harvested. Canada exported fish and seafood to more than 100 countries last year, and it is one of the largest single food commodities that we export.
There is a global demand for Canada's seafood. Our new government is focused on expanding our markets and buying Canadian to grow the industries that support a strong Canadian economy. This is how we will move forward from a state of reliance to a state of resilience and build long-term prosperity for the fishers and regions that rely on this important sector.
For our fisheries, expanding our markets means protecting the tens of thousands of jobs our fisheries support in our rural and coastal communities. Working hand in glove with industry, indigenous peoples and coastal communities, we are building stronger fisheries and creating more economic opportunity for coastal Canadians.
It starts with consultation, and consultation means that I can make sure that the decisions I take protect and support the fisheries and good-paying jobs. I have been on the wharves hearing from harvesters, meeting with industry and hearing from workers in our plants. They are the lifeblood of our industry, and I'm here to support their work.
In terms of Fisheries Act authorizations, our new government is focused on making more efficient decisions to support major projects of national interest so we can get key products to market while still protecting our fish and fishery habitats.
I was proud to more than double the total allowable catch for northern cod this year, so fishers could see the benefits from the stock. However, I want to address some comments that have been made in the media about the northern cod decision, and I'd like to talk about the facts.
First, northern cod has remained stable since 2017. It is at one of the highest levels in decades and is now one of the largest cod stocks in the world. This year, the estimated spawning stock biomass is 524,000 tonnes. I set the commercial TAC at 38,000 tonnes, representing a highly sustainable seven per cent of the biomass.
Assertions made, including that this decision is short-sighted or that the stock is being mismanaged, are absurd. There is something deeply flawed with the thinking that you can't fish seven per cent of northern cod when it's the highest it's been in more than 30 years and is one of the largest cod stocks in the world. To grow our seafood sector, we must have safe and orderly fisheries and enable fishers to fish when the stock allows for it.
I also want to speak briefly about fishing seasons and the enforcement of these seasons. Seasons protect the long-term conservation of stocks and make sure local communities benefit from the fishery. For valuable fisheries like lobster, this principle is critical to the biological conservation of lobster and to our economic success as well. Seasons are in place to protect stocks, first and foremost.
As minister, I fully support enforcement against illegal fishing. We have invested more resources for conservation and protection operations, so they have the tools and support to enforce the Fisheries Act.
Let me be clear. Any unauthorized fishing out of season is illegal. This year in the lobster fishery, conservation and protection officers seized thousands of traps, released tens of thousands of lobsters back into the water and inspected dozens of facilities. Boats were seized, and arrests were made. That enforcement protects the integrity of the fishery and supports the conservation of a stock that is worth billions of dollars to the Canadian economy.
It is my highest priority to make sure that our fishery continues for generations to come. Owner-operator rules make sure that those who fish see the benefit of their hard work. Enforcement protects our stocks and the rule of law. Science-based management opens access to critical foreign markets. There is too much at stake for our coastal communities to risk these foundations of our fishery.
Thank you, and I look forward to your questions.
