Fisheries Committee on Feb. 2nd, 2026

[The Chair, Liberal, Patrick Weiler]

Thank you very much, Mr. Connors.

We have time for a shortened third round. We'll do four, four and two, starting with Mr. Small for four minutes.

[Clifford Small, Conservative, Central Newfoundland, NL]

My question for the deputy minister is regarding estimates that are put into logbooks. In the past season, we saw in the northern cod fishery that harvesters were charged for being over on their estimates. They were actually given fines for having estimates that weren't close enough to reality. This happened when they in fact had lots of quota remaining for the week. If they had gone over, there was time to rectify it as the weekly fishing activity continued.

Is your department going to fix this for the upcoming season, or is this injustice toward our harvesters going to continue?

[Kaili Levesque]

Accurate reporting in ELOGs is fundamental as we look at export market opportunities, MSC certification, etc. We work hand in glove on the wharves with harvesters to make sure they have access to the right tools to report, and if they need to issue a correction, we work to find the right opportunity to do that.

[Clifford Small, Conservative, Central Newfoundland, NL]

These weren't ELOGs. This was the northern cod fishery, where ELOGs are not a requirement.

[Kaili Levesque]

I'm sorry.

[Clifford Small, Conservative, Central Newfoundland, NL]

They were paper logbooks. In some cases, the paper logbook was confiscated, and the harvester didn't have a logbook to report their catch and log it in. It was taken, so they had to stop fishing.

Are you going to rectify that situation in the northern cod fishery in the upcoming season and let an estimate be an estimate?

[Kaili Levesque]

We will work with the region on the ground, with the harvesters and with conservation and protection to make sure we have the right tools available for the harvesters, as they get out on the water, to maximize time on the water and maximize their catching of the TAC.

[Clifford Small, Conservative, Central Newfoundland, NL]

We have another situation where there are tight parameters on bycatch. We hear anecdotally that bycatch levels can be higher than acceptable and that harvesters are forced to release bycatch.

Are you familiar with a landing obligation that's in place in the EU and the U.K.?

[Kaili Levesque]

I'm not familiar with the specifics of the landing obligation, sir.

[Clifford Small, Conservative, Central Newfoundland, NL]

Basically, if the fish comes aboard a vessel, it has to come in, instead of it being forcing to be released while critically injured or whatnot. Science is not even seeing the true picture. It's quite detrimental to projecting what's actually in the ocean and what mortality is happening. I'm shocked that your department hasn't studied what the European nations have done with respect to the obligation to land what has been caught.

[Kaili Levesque]

We work closely with the European Union on a variety of measures, including the most recent catch certification requirements. When I say that I am not intimately aware of those pieces, I am confident that there are colleagues in the department who work closely with the EU to understand them. However, there are scientific elements related to bycatch as well, when you think about population commingling and reference stocks that we—

[Clifford Small, Conservative, Central Newfoundland, NL]

There's a conservation element here. Let's look at capelin fishing as an example.

[The Chair, Liberal, Patrick Weiler]

Mr. Small, I'm afraid I have to interrupt. We are over time.

I'm going to Mr. Cormier for four minutes.

[Serge Cormier, Liberal, Acadie—Bathurst, NB]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

Deputy Minister, my question is for you or anyone else who can answer it.

Earlier, I talked about various fishing sectors, saying that some were having trouble and others not so much. We have a problem with right whales in my region, particularly in zone 12, but we also have a problem with the snow crab fishery and the lobster fishery. An event two years ago almost led to the complete closure of the lobster fishery. We managed to make your department understand that that's not an option.

With regard to the right whale measures, I know that your department is working on a whale-safe fishing gear strategy to avoid right whale entanglements.

Is that strategy about to be released? Do you have a date for us? Have you let the various associations know when the strategy will be released?

[Kaili Levesque]

The strategy is indeed in the process of being finalized. It not only reflects the various consultations with associations, but is also based directly on comments and real-life experience. In your region in particular, there are associations that have been truly innovative in terms of deploying safe fishing gear. They have been directly informed of the strategy.

I would say that we are in the process of finalizing this strategy. We are eager to move forward on this issue, given its importance to the sector.

[Serge Cormier, Liberal, Acadie—Bathurst, NB]

I hope there will be good communication between your department and the various associations, because some of these associations are a little afraid of having additional measures imposed on them. As you said, since 2018, our fishers have been incredibly strong and resilient thanks to new equipment they have developed using new technologies. However, imposing certain measures that would force them, for example, to fish only with equipment such as rope-free traps would add additional stress to the industry, even before the whales arrive. I therefore hope that the people in your department have good communication with the industry and that they will listen to its concerns.

My second question is more about the monitoring of shrimp fishing and quotas that have not been caught by the offshore fleet, i.e., the large vessels.

Earlier, you mentioned marketing, but we have already done that over the past two years as part of a fisheries fund project for the shrimp fleet. However, even though the offshore fleet has been allocated 60% of the quota, it is not currently fishing it. Other fleets are conducting these marketing tests for it.

Now that we know this, would it not be possible, using existing allocations, to transfer an additional quota to the shrimp fleet, given their extremely difficult situation? This is probably the only way your department can currently help shrimp fishermen.

Are you prepared to look at the issue of these allocations so that they benefit other groups in other sectors of this industry?

[The Chair, Liberal, Patrick Weiler]

There is only time for a short answer.

[Kaili Levesque]

We base our decisions on science, conservation and socio-economic considerations. We are committed to considering the issue, but I cannot confirm anything further.

[The Chair, Liberal, Patrick Weiler]

Thank you very much, Mr. Cormier.

To conclude, Mr. Deschênes, you have the floor for two minutes.

[Alexis Deschênes, Bloc, Gaspésie—Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine—Listuguj, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Ms. Levesque, I have a question about the fisheries fund.

Let’s dream a little and imagine that the government announces that it is bailing out the Quebec fisheries fund. If the announcement were made, how long would it take between the day of the announcement and the day when the funds could actually be allocated to the various associations that are waiting for them?

[Kaili Levesque]

Allow me to dream in colour with you.

Once the announcement is made, we will have to work immediately with the provinces involved, namely Quebec, the maritime provinces and British Columbia, to move forward with the development of the program, see if the terms of the program remain exactly the same and see if we agree on anything else, for example.

There is a process that must go through Treasury Board, not only for the federal government, but also for each partner. When it comes to spending public funds, Treasury Board’s approval is required to ensure that everything is in order for a program that makes direct contributions and shares funds.

We are ready. We are working to understand where we can get started, if applicable. We are currently waiting, but we remain optimistic.

[Alexis Deschênes, Bloc, Gaspésie—Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine—Listuguj, QC]

Optimism is good.

If all goes well, how many months should the negotiation process with Quebec, approval by Treasury Board and the establishment of new criteria take?

[Kaili Levesque]

The new fiscal year begins on April 1, 2026. If all goes well, we are not talking about several quarters, but a fairly short term. We are also looking at the inventory of applications we have already received for projects to see if these are projects that need to be revisited. We could therefore do this quickly.

[Alexis Deschênes, Bloc, Gaspésie—Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine—Listuguj, QC]

According to your schedule, in a best-case scenario, how many months are we talking about? Are we talking about approximately three months?

[Kaili Levesque]

That’s about right, but it all depends on the negotiations. I can’t speak for what the provinces will do, but given the importance to the sector and the degree of priority that has been unanimously determined, I think everyone will be looking hard at this issue.