Fisheries Committee on Feb. 2nd, 2026

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

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

We seem to be having a bit of trouble getting some answers, so I'm going to take the opportunity, as my other colleagues in the room have done before, to ask a few more questions of the ministerial staff.

Deputy Minister, you came to our committee before the holidays, I believe. I asked you a few questions on various topics. The first topic concerned the Coast Guard. Perhaps some of your colleagues can answer my question. Even though the Coast Guard has not been under your department for a little while now, if I understand correctly, there are still aspects of it that are connected to the fisheries in my region.

As you know, the snow crab season is coming up very soon. Since 2018, we have been given all the tools necessary for icebreaking operations from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. I just want to make sure that all the contracts signed by your department have actually been transferred to the Department of National Defence. I also want to know that the tools we are going to need, such as Coast Guard vessels, including small icebreakers such as the CCGS Judy Lamarsh, as well as the contracts we have with businesses in the region, particularly for the seaplane we call “the frog” back home, are actually in place for the next season.

I would like someone to answer that question.

[Kaili Levesque]

Yes, in fact, you are correct. The Coast Guard was transferred entirely to the Department of National Defence on September 2, 2025, under an order in council. However, the service agreements already signed between the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and the Coast Guard remain in place.

We've set up a memorandum of understanding between the two organizations at the deputy minister level to ensure consistency and continuity in these activities. Knowing the importance of icebreakers in your region to the snow crab and other industries, I can assure you that this is something we are watching closely. We monitor water conditions, ice conditions and so on. We work closely with the Coast Guard through a weekly report.

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

Great, thank you.

Another question I asked you last time had to do with the snow crab licences that my region is losing, especially in area 12. The licences, as you know, are very important for our communities. They are extremely valuable. Unfortunately, the sons or daughters of the licence-holders, the deckhands and other people are sometimes unable to get a licence. Sometimes it's also because of the rules, such as residency criteria, that vary from one province to another.

I asked you if it was possible to do something with the associations, such as set up a kind of round table. Has there been any movement on this issue? Once again, we're about to lose licences to people in other regions due to sales that are sometimes suspicious. Again, that's not in the spirit of the Fisheries Act. We have to keep these licences adjacent to our communities.

I'd like to get an update on that, Deputy Minister.

[Kaili Levesque]

Yes, in fact, regarding the licence issue you raised, the director general of the region is informally taking a close look at it before applications are received. We also continue to work with associations on issues related to the implementation of regulations that protect not only the next generation, but also the owner-operator model. I understand the particular angle of the economic benefits in your region—

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

I don't want to interrupt you, Madam Deputy Minister, but is your department prepared to set up a kind of small working group in partnership with the Province of New Brunswick? The provinces are also responsible for licences and the economic aspects. Is your department prepared to at least put something in place to study what's happening right now with the fishing licences that our regions are losing to outsiders, sometimes a bit too easily, which has a disproportionate impact on the economy of our regions? Is your department at least prepared to address the issue as quickly as possible?

[Kaili Levesque]

Yes, we're prepared to address it. As I said, we are already looking into it on a daily basis.

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

Great.

[Kaili Levesque]

In terms of a working group or something similar, I will provide you with an answer in writing later, because we are not the only ones involved.

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

Great, thank you.

I have one last question for you. I think I have a few seconds or a minute left to do so.

Another issue I raised with you and that the committee has examined in previous studies is the shrimp fishery. As you know, it's very challenging. Shrimp stocks have been declining for a few years now. Some fishers have been forced to sell their licences or give up fishing altogether.

However, a 10% share of the redfish resource was allocated to shrimpers. The 60% that was allocated to the larger fleets has not been fished at all in the past two years.

Is your department prepared to consider, once again, the possibility of perhaps sharing more equitably by allocating quotas to other fleets so that they can survive? There are fleets that don't fish that resource right now. The resource is available. Is that something you could address?

[Kaili Levesque]

We will address that through the advisory committee. I also understand that there are market access issues. This is a new product in development for processors and other entities. However, yes, absolutely, we are committed to looking into that through the redfish committee. We will address the full range of possible recommendations.

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

Thank you, Deputy Minister.

[The Chair, Liberal, Patrick Weiler]

Thank you, Mr. Cormier.

Mr. Deschênes, you have the floor for six minutes.

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

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Good afternoon, everyone.

I want to discuss the decision-making process for phase 2 of the exploratory lobster fishing licences.

Deputy Minister, you said that you were conducting analyses, but I'd like more details. Where exactly are you? I imagine the scientific opinion must have come out. Has the scientific opinion already been sent out?

[Kaili Levesque]

We are still looking at the possibilities in terms of licences. You're right that the data has been evaluated, but the scientific opinion and what it would mean for subsequent licences is still being studied.

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

The data comes from harvesting and stock assessment.

[Kaili Levesque]

Yes.

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

Here we are, several months later. I understand that the minister will have a political decision to make. However, as far as the management of fisheries resources is concerned, has the scientific opinion been sent out? Perhaps Mr. Williams could answer.

[Todd Williams, Senior Director, Resource Management - Operations, Department of Fisheries and Oceans]

No, the science has not been provided. The analysis of the data has been collected. The data is being evaluated by science. With further consultation and through our normal advisory committee processes, we'll be providing recommendations to the minister for next season.

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

Basically, you need to hold consultations on scientific data.

[Todd Williams]

The data on the number of traps and landings used has been shared, but as to the scientific data and the evaluation of what that means going forward, we'll be looking forward to receiving that advice.

Notably, these catches did not negatively affect commercial harvests active in that area. On the contrary, in fact, we saw commercial landings continue to increase in those areas.

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

What other observations were made?

You say that catches have been good, generally speaking. Other than that, what observations have you received from scientists?

[Todd Williams]

We look at landings, of course, as well as catch per unit effort and other indicators that can provide us with further data on the abundance of the stock. We look at each zone as well, of course. There are 17, 18 and 19, and landings varied by those zones. Science will look at that data and provide us with further information.

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

The data has already been collected, Mr. Williams. Are you collecting other data?

[Todd Williams]

Yes, of course. We get the landings data as the fishery progresses. That was tallied up toward the end of that season. We have information on each area and how much lobster was landed in each of the areas using those licences. It varies between those areas and even within an area. There's further scientific analysis that has to be examined, which we'll await, and then we'll provide a recommendation to the minister.

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

What's missing? We have already been waiting for a number of weeks, and the lobster season is in three months. There are people waiting to find out whether they're going to go. At the very least, it would be good to give them a bit of predictability, because if phase 2 were to be triggered, those people would need to prepare.

I understand that there may be consultations. However, scientifically speaking, what's missing?