Evidence of meeting #24 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 industry.
A recording is available from Parliament.
General Manager, Coast Tsimshian Fish Plant Ltd
I'll make just a little correction. We're actually the only first nations groundfish fish plant in B.C. We're not the only fish plant.
We haven't been in a room with all the first nations to have a talk together.
Conservative
Mel Arnold Conservative Kamloops—Shuswap—Central Rockies, BC
Have you been in the same room with other non-indigenous harvesters or other user groups on these proposals?
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Patrick Weiler
Thank you, Mr. Arnold.
Next we're going to go to Mr. Klassen for five minutes.
Liberal
Ernie Klassen Liberal South Surrey—White Rock, BC
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
Thank you to all the witnesses for being here today. It's a wealth of information that you provide to us.
Mr. Sproul, I believe it was you who talked about how there's more than a fair share of ENGOs at the table and that we need to start the process all over again without any ENGOs.
Do you not see any relevance...? What do you think would be the appropriate makeup of the group that's making these decisions?
President, Bay of Fundy Inshore Fishermen's Association
I think that people who sit at management tables need to be people who have a direct stake in the resource. I would say, in terms of judgments against specific ENGOs, that Canadians should have transparency surrounding their funding and their intent so that we can all make those judgments ourselves based on them. I certainly would have more willingness to create a space within management—not at a stakeholder table—for an ENGO if it was getting its funding from Canadians and was lobbying on behalf of Canadian interests. I think we should accept that when you are taking huge amounts of funding from foreign countries, you will be lobbying for interests within that country and not for those of Canadians.
It's important to point out that, while it's maybe not our area of interest here today, within my own community I see ENGOs having undue influence and holding back the development of many other industries in Nova Scotia, like mining, forestry and agriculture. I think, as Canadians, they need to be reckoned with. We need to make sure that money that is lobbying in Canada is Canadian money and that it's lobbying on behalf of Canadians' interests. As for whether those interests are environmental or industry-related, that's a different question. I think that as Canadians, especially in this time and place, we should reject totally the influence of American money on the management of Canadian fisheries.
Liberal
Ernie Klassen Liberal South Surrey—White Rock, BC
Mr. Kierce and Mr. Mavin, you're both third-generation harvesters, fishers.
I'll start with Mr. Mavin.
You mentioned that you have four children and that none of them are planning to stay within the industry. What kinds of changes would you think would have to be made in order to make it viable for a fourth generation of your family to continue in the industry?
Commercial Harvester, As an Individual
It comes down to opportunity. We don't get that in B.C. anymore. In B.C. this year, the Fraser River returned one of the biggest sockeye runs in recent memory. A huge volume of sockeye went up the Fraser River. My family has fished the Fraser River for four generations. My grandfather fished the Fraser River. This year, everybody got to fish the Fraser River sockeye except for Canadian commercial fishermen. The Americans fished full bore. First Nations fished full bore. Recreational fishermen got to fish. When we finally got an opportunity, it wasn't an opportunity that the minister offered us. It was an insult; it was a teaspoon of fish. That's what's happening in B.C. We can't abide that any longer. We need to have viable fisheries, managed scientifically. We don't want to overharvest. Not one of us does; we never have. However, when the opportunity presents itself, we need to get it. That has been happening for a great many years now.
Liberal
Ernie Klassen Liberal South Surrey—White Rock, BC
I have a follow-up question.
I think you talked about the areas where you need to do the harvesting, and there's a huge number of fish there. With your input, if we reduce the areas that are designated as MPAs so that we can ensure that conservation continues but that fishing and harvesting are available, how would you see the fishers in your area responding to something like that?
Commercial Harvester, As an Individual
We already did respond very positively. As I said before, we came together and developed a plan that would work. It was no small undertaking. It took quite a bit of effort on our behalf and no small amount of sacrifice. We've done that. The work is there. The information has been provided to the department. It's just up to the department to choose whether or not it wants to adopt it.
Liberal
Ernie Klassen Liberal South Surrey—White Rock, BC
You would be prepared to give up some of the area but just not to the extent that you're seeing.
Commercial Harvester, As an Individual
Yes, absolutely. We've been clear on that.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Patrick Weiler
Thank you very much, Mr. Klassen.
Mr. Beaulieu, you have the floor for two and a half minutes.
Bloc
Mario Beaulieu Bloc La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC
My question is for all the witnesses.
Are there tangible benefits when fishers get compensated? How does that work? What do you think about compensation when marine protected areas are being developed?
Mr. Sproul, do you want to go first?
President, Bay of Fundy Inshore Fishermen's Association
At least in our case in Nova Scotia, as far as I'm aware, there is no compensation framework proposed for the development of MPAs.
Commercial Harvester, As an Individual
It's the same for B.C. There has been no compensation offered.
Bloc
Mario Beaulieu Bloc La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC
Do you think compensation could help when those types of projects put you at a disadvantage? It would certainly be the case.
President, Bay of Fundy Inshore Fishermen's Association
No, I don't think it's possible for compensation to make up for the generational loss of wealth to these communities. If we were to compensate the fishermen of today, that would be the end of it.
Let me be clear. I'm really concerned with the statement by my colleague from British Columbia about the inability of his family to continue in the generational family business. Everything we do at the Bay of Fundy Inshore Fishermen's Association is directly because of that. We feel we have a duty to our children and to the next generations to preserve this resource, and taking compensation today is not in keeping with that duty. We also have a debt to our grandfathers, who worked their fingers to the bone to create this profitable and sustainable industry for us. Those are our most important concerns, not compensation in the short term.
Commercial Harvester, As an Individual
I agree with Mr. Sproul's comments wholeheartedly.
Fishermen in B.C. don't want compensation. We're proud Canadians. We would like to work. We're proud to work. We want opportunity. We don't want compensation.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Patrick Weiler
Thank you very much, Mr. Beaulieu.
We have a short last round. We'll do four minutes and four minutes.
Mr. Gunn, you have the floor for four minutes.
Conservative
Aaron Gunn Conservative North Island—Powell River, BC
Thank you, Chair.
Mr. Mavin, how long has your family been involved in commercial fishing, how many generations?
Commercial Harvester, As an Individual
On my mother's side, it's four generations now.
Conservative
Aaron Gunn Conservative North Island—Powell River, BC
Can you see that business, that wealth of knowledge being passed down to your children?
Commercial Harvester, As an Individual
I've done my best with it. I can pass down the knowledge, the information and the business, but I can't pass down the opportunity. That's where my hands are tied.