Fisheries Committee on March 23rd, 2026

[Joanne Thompson, Liberal, St. John's East, NL]

Thank you. That's an important question.

I'll start by saying that the allocation policy came into play in 1999, so it's appropriate for us to review this. There was a year-long consultation process. It ended at the end of January. We are still going through what we heard. I will have something for you coming forward. No decision has been made.

[Mel Arnold, Conservative, Kamloops—Shuswap—Central Rockies, BC]

The question was this: Have you done an economic analysis?

[Joanne Thompson, Liberal, St. John's East, NL]

There—

[The Chair, Liberal, Patrick Weiler]

We are at time. I am going to have to cut it off there. There will be another opportunity for questions.

With that, I am going to take the next round. This is a five-minute round.

Thank you, Minister and officials, for being here today to speak to the estimates.

I want to continue along the line that a couple of my colleagues brought up. DFO is facing cuts of nearly 30% as compared with roughly 15% across other agencies. That's excluding the changes from the transition from the Coast Guard to National Defence. As part of that, there's a 78% reduction in funding for the salmon enhancement program and similar cuts in aquatic species and habitat restoration.

Given DFO's mandate to conserve and protect fish and marine habitats, how does the department expect that these reductions will affect conservation outcomes?

[Joanne Thompson, Liberal, St. John's East, NL]

Thank you. Again, that's an important question.

I want to clarify that, certainly, the cuts reflect changes in the department and the role of the Coast Guard. This was at a point in time. We saw, for example, BCSRIF come forward days ago. In no way has the priority shifted regarding the work of conservation, protection and support for the fisheries across the country, coast to coast to coast. We will see programs come on stream during the next year.

I want to be clear that, for science-based management, the focus on fisheries has not changed.

[The Chair, Liberal, Patrick Weiler]

You mentioned BCSRIF. Beyond this funding, what else can you share with the committee regarding programming to fill some of this gap?

[Joanne Thompson, Liberal, St. John's East, NL]

Certainly, as we move forward and as funding streams come on side, I will let you know. I can't give you specific dates, but we know the work is important. Support for the industry in B.C., northern, Atlantic and inland regions will continue.

I'm not able to give you timelines today.

[The Chair, Liberal, Patrick Weiler]

No. Of course, I wasn't asking about timelines but rather about specific programs.

I'm going to move on.

As part of the CER, the comprehensive expenditure review, DFO is planning to cut 551 full-time equivalents over the next few years. This concerns me greatly when I look at my riding. Thirty years ago, on the Sunshine Coast, there were six DFO officials working. Then, in 2012, the Conservatives shut down the DFO office there. It's been exceedingly difficult ever since then to enforce illegal fishing in this part of my riding.

There's only one staff person on the Sunshine Coast. This person is serving in an essential community adviser role, working with first nations and non-profits and solving many of the fisheries issues we're seeing on the Sunshine Coast. Now I understand this person has been given notice after working with DFO for over three decades.

With these types of changes, how are you going to ensure that DFO has a footprint on the ground, both to tackle illegal fishing and to ensure that the habitat restoration partnerships can lead to the restoration work necessary for a sustainable fishery?

[Joanne Thompson, Liberal, St. John's East, NL]

I can't speak to a particular HR issue, but I can tell you that, across the country, the work of the department, DFO, happens in regions. Eighty per cent of the staff is in regions, and this is not going to change. I'm not even sure if the officials can speak to that particular situation, but it's certainly a question for them.

I will tell you that enforcement is a priority across the country and will continue to be a priority. Let me reassure you and others in your area that both of those considerations are paramount. They are not changing. However, no, I can't speak to a particular case.

[The Chair, Liberal, Patrick Weiler]

No, that's well understood.

Minister, you brought up the announcement of a few weeks ago regarding the launch of negotiations for new fisheries agreements across the country. You mentioned that you are going to be speaking with Minister Neill in B.C. in short order.

There is some concern across the province about the changing focus of these agreements. BCSRIF, to date, has been primarily focused on conservation and habitat restoration work. There is concern that, with this new proposal, this is going to change significantly.

Can you clarify for this committee that this will remain a potential focus of the agreement, if it's in the interest of, or a request from, the province?

[Joanne Thompson, Liberal, St. John's East, NL]

I welcome that question.

It was only last week that the announcement was made. Very much so, the framework happens with provinces, with counterparts across the country. Nothing is imposed. When I met with Atlantic and Quebec counterparts in Boston, it was very much specific to a shared understanding of what the priorities would be and how we would do this work together. I will do the same thing with B.C. It's not about imposing anything.

I want to be very clear that it is appropriate to look at a program after five years to see what has worked well and where we have missed the focus—to understand that a new round of funding is an opportunity to look at very targeted results, given that things have shifted. It is an opportunity for us to ensure that we meet the concerns and realities of regions.

[The Chair, Liberal, Patrick Weiler]

Thank you, Minister.

Mrs. Gill, you have the floor for two and a half minutes.

[Marilène Gill, Bloc, Côte-Nord—Kawawachikamach—Nitassinan, QC]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

I have a question about exploratory fishing licences for lobster.

Obviously, companies have to bear the costs of this fishery in accordance with the latest licenses issued in Quebec. The fact is many fishermen end up in a zone without any lobsters, so they catch almost nothing. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans is aware of the situation, but refuses to reconsider the zones.

I know this isn't strictly a budget issue, but if we want to develop the economy of these regions and ensure the fishing communities' vitality, we have to try and issue licences that, on the one hand, allow fishermen to collect data—which is what we want—and, on the other hand, allow us to evaluate the possibility of harvesting the lobster later.

Regarding zone 18 specifically, I wonder if the department is open to creating zones larger than the current six subzones, because there's a problem. Many fishermen aren't catching anything, and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans is well aware of that. The department needs to act fairly quickly. For example, we're asking fishermen to get a different boat if they want to fish in certain areas, but they don't have the money to do that. There are no resources either. That’s another issue.

[Joanne Thompson, Liberal, St. John's East, NL]

I've met with harvesters in the region. It is an exploratory licence, so it's science-based. It's a couple of years. We collect data at the same time as providing access for harvesters who otherwise would not be able to participate in the fishery. We will remain in dialogue. We will continue to look at science, and we're pleased that we could continue for another season.

[Marilène Gill, Bloc, Côte-Nord—Kawawachikamach—Nitassinan, QC]

There's no data, and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans is aware of that, and there will never be any data. We already know that, and yet, we keep asking fishermen to collect data.

Something needs to change. That’s really the point here. We can monitor the situation for 30 years, there's still no lobsters. The lobster population might increase, but right now, there are no lobsters, so it’s pointless.

I have one last question.

I know the Baie-Johan-Beetz wharf belongs to Transport Canada, but for years the Department of Fisheries and Oceans has been asked to designate it as a fishing harbour. There were no roads before, so it served as a shipping lane. That said, communities such as the indigenous community of Nutashkuan and, of course, the Baie-Johan-Beetz community would like to use the wharf. They'd like to know if that's a possibility under the small craft harbours program. The community's been asking for this for decades, and first nations are now asking for it for economic development reasons. They're willing to use the wharf, but it's in really bad shape. However, Transport Canada and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans keep passing the buck. Both indigenous and non-indigenous communities want to know if there's still an opportunity to diversify, or at least stabilize economic activity in this area.

[Joanne Thompson, Liberal, St. John's East, NL]

We remain in dialogue. When we evaluate catch, it's also a source of data. We always collect data, and that's the reason for the partnership with harvesters and industry. It's all-important to understanding what the health of the stock looks like in the region.

[The Chair, Liberal, Patrick Weiler]

Thank you very much, Mrs. Gill.

Next we're going to Mr. Gunn for five minutes.

[Aaron Gunn, Conservative, North Island—Powell River, BC]

Minister, the last time we spoke, you accused fishermen of spreading misinformation relating to MPAs and the government's plan to close significant areas of B.C.'s coast to fishing, yet we recently learned from Kathy Graham, the DFO director of marine planning and conservation, that your government is still planning to implement the UN's 30 by 30 framework and that the department's previously released drafts—the ones showing massive closures along B.C.'s coast—were still the basis for what is planned going forward.

My question for you, Minister, is this: Would you like to use this opportunity to apologize to fishermen, their families and coastal communities and acknowledge that, yes, the government is planning to close areas of B.C.'s coast to fishing?

[Joanne Thompson, Liberal, St. John's East, NL]

I will say to you what I said the last time I was here. I believe we can do both. We can move forward with conservation sustainability and, at the same—

[Aaron Gunn, Conservative, North Island—Powell River, BC]

What do you mean by “do both”?

[Joanne Thompson, Liberal, St. John's East, NL]

—time—if you could allow me to finish—we support fisheries. We can do both in marine protected areas, and I will work to ensure that both happen.

[Aaron Gunn, Conservative, North Island—Powell River, BC]

I appreciate your argument that there are no trade-offs in this. I obviously disagree. I'm trying to get this on the record, because we've had deflections and evasions on these questions. Is the department planning to close areas of B.C.'s coast to fishing, yes or no, and do you acknowledge that marine closures have real economic effects?

[Joanne Thompson, Liberal, St. John's East, NL]

I will say to you, which is what I've just said, that marine protected areas enable us to have conservation sustainability for the next generation and to maintain fishing. We can do both, and it's important that we do both.

I'm not able to say more than that, so no, I'm not going to answer the other question.

[Aaron Gunn, Conservative, North Island—Powell River, BC]

You can't give a yes or no...because Kathy Graham told us—

[Joanne Thompson, Liberal, St. John's East, NL]

It's about balance, sir. We can do both.