Fisheries Committee on March 23rd, 2026

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

The minister has stated that no science will be cut, but the current lead of the genomics program in Nanaimo has been given notice that his position will be—

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

Mr. Chair, this is debate. This is not a point of order, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Patrick Weiler]

Mr. Arnold, I hear you, but it is not a point of order.

We would like to get in a bit more questioning. There will be a short additional round. I'm going to do three minutes and three minutes to wrap this up. We're going to be a little bit late.

Clifford...Mr. Small, you have the floor for three minutes.

[Clifford Small, Conservative, Central Newfoundland, NL]

Mr. Chair, we're on a first-name basis.

My question for the minister is on the sentinel cod surveys being cut this year due to cuts in the budget. The sentinel cod surveys in Newfoundland and Labrador and Quebec, which have been a tool in understanding where the rebuilding processes were over the years, are now being completely eliminated. It's understandable on the Labrador coast, on the northeast coast and on the east coast of Newfoundland, where these stocks are pretty much in the healthy zone. However, cod stocks on the south and west coasts of Newfoundland, the 4R portion of Labrador and 4RST portion in Quebec and the Maritimes, are below the cautious zone.

Why would you cut a tool that you've relied on and that's proven over time to be a great help in knowing the health of these stocks? Why would you cut that in areas where the stocks are below the cautious zone?

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

It's interesting. I appreciate your acknowledgement that the health of the cod stocks varies around the province, because this wasn't reflected in a recent private member's bill.

We are committed to robust science. It is appropriate that our data collection methods shift as the scientific tools available to us modernize, but in no way is it a step back from solid science management.

[Clifford Small, Conservative, Central Newfoundland, NL]

If there's no commercial fishery, if there's no sentinel fishery, if there's limited recreational fishery only on weekends, and we have to rely on DFO science—which has proven to be a bit dodgy over the years—how are we ever going to get an accurate picture for the fishing industry of what's in the water?

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

No decisions have been made around recreational fisheries, as you know. I mentioned this a moment ago.

[Clifford Small, Conservative, Central Newfoundland, NL]

Why would you cut that sentinel program in areas where they need it?

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

Robust science is critical to fisheries. That is not changing. The methods we use to collect data shift based on modernizing these systems.

[Clifford Small, Conservative, Central Newfoundland, NL]

It's becoming less robust. You just said that you need robust science, but you're making it less robust.

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

I can assure you that the science around cod is robust and will continue to be robust.

[The Chair, Liberal, Patrick Weiler]

Thank you very much, Mr. Small.

We're going to conclude with three minutes from Mr. Morrissey.

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

Thank you, Chair.

Minister, I will give you the chance to answer the questions I have.

The oyster industry in P.E.I. is facing a crisis. All indications are that it will spread to neighbouring provinces. This industry will depend heavily on the Atlantic fisheries fund. That's one example of a support program going forward. I know you're working well on it.

Could you comment briefly, because then I want to pivot to Mr. MacKinnon? We don't often have the president of the CFIA before the committee.

How is the department preparing to support this vital industry? We should all be confident that there will be a future if we get the steps right.

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

I have met with the industry and harvesters. I know how difficult this is. The newest version of the AFF is not a continuation of what happened in the last five years, for example. Looking at the current state is an example. Oysters are one example of why it's so important. Circumstances change; markets change, and the health of stocks changes. We need to ensure that the funds and supports are there to meet the concerns of industry and harvesters.

In fairness, yes, oysters are an example of work we need to do to help the industry recover from where they are and to understand why this has happened. The work of research is an important tool, but we're here to work with them.

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

Thank you. I appreciate the support.

On this one, science is going to be vital. There is a future. Areas have shown, outside P.E.I., that the industry can rebound and thrive, but we have to depend heavily on science to get it right.

Mr. MacKinnon, can you update the committee on where the CFIA is with all the extensive tests you've been doing with regard to the ability to import oyster seed to P.E.I.?

[Paul MacKinnon, Deputy Minister, Department of Fisheries and Oceans]

Mr. Chair, I'll say a few words even though I'm officially not at the CFIA now.

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

Oh, okay.

[Paul MacKinnon]

We're working very closely with the industry on P.E.I., including with Atlantic Aqua Farms and Onda, as you may know.

We're doing a scientific risk assessment now at the CFIA—

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

You [Inaudible—Editor] respond to the DFO side, then; that's fine. Go ahead.

[Paul MacKinnon]

I'll just sum up.

The scientific risk assessment from the CFIA should be done very shortly. I think you'll be seeing the fruits of this work within a very short period of time.

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Patrick Weiler]

Thank you very much, Mr. Morrissey.

That's going to conclude our first panel. I would like to thank the minister, as well as the departmental officials, for taking the time to meet with us.

I'm going to suspend for a few minutes to allow the minister to depart. We're then going to continue with questions for officials for the second hour.

[The Chair, Liberal, Patrick Weiler]

Colleagues, we're going to get started again.

I want to welcome our new witnesses to the table. We have Joanne Garrah, assistant deputy minister, ecosystems and oceans science; Jennifer Saxe, assistant deputy minister, aquatic ecosystems; Peter Lambertucci—it's good to see you again—national chief enforcement officer; and Mark Waddell, director general, fisheries resource management.

Before we continue, I would like to flag for members that we are going to vote on the main estimates before we finish today.

With that, we're going to jump back into the order that we were in.

Mrs. Gill, you were next on the list. 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'd like to thank all the witnesses for joining us.

The minister said earlier there were no cuts at the Maurice Lamontagne Institute, no cuts to the science sector, but we know things are quite tense at the institute. It's been all over the media, particularly the regional media. We know jobs have already been cut.

Could you tell us as specifically as possible about the cuts to be made at the Maurice Lamontagne Institute? You can provide that information in writing later if you don't have it with you. Apparently, 20 jobs are set to be eliminated; that's what we heard. In my opinion, cutting scientists is making cuts in the science sector. Would you agree?

[Niall O'Dea, Senior Assistant Deputy Minister, Strategic Policy, Department of Fisheries and Oceans]

Thank you for the question.

To follow up on what the minister said, I'd say the idea is to continue investing substantially in science. Scientific research methods might change from time to time, just like the personnel required to do the work.