Mr. Chair and honourable members, thank you for the opportunity to appear before the committee today.
My name is Alistair Struthers, and I am the director of aquaculture policy and regulatory affairs with Fisheries and Oceans Canada. I am joined by my colleague Sylvain Vézina, the regional director general for the department's Quebec region, and Céline Gaudet, the regional director general for the gulf region, both of whom manage the fishery in their respective regions. We are also joined by colleagues from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Environment and Climate Change Canada, both of which play important roles in the overall management of the shellfish sector.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada manages shellfish fisheries in Quebec, including the Baie des Chaleurs, within the broader Gulf of St. Lawrence ecosystem. Shellfish fisheries in Quebec and gulf regions include both wild and aquaculture activities and support commercial, recreational and indigenous food, social and ceremonial harvesting.
The shellfish sector is managed through such measures as harvest seasons, minimum size limits and daily fishing limits. Decisions related to access, expansion or changes to shellfish harvesting opportunities consider not only resource sustainability but also environmental conditions and food safety requirements, which can vary significantly by region and species. At the national level, DFO’s fisheries management sector establishes the regulatory framework and policy direction, while regional offices implement these regulations and policies, applying them in a manner that reflects region-specific biological, environmental and operational considerations.
The Canadian shellfish sanitation program, or CSSP, is a federal, interdepartmental program delivered jointly by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Environment and Climate Change Canada and Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Its primary objective is to protect public health by ensuring shellfish harvested in Canada are safe to consume, while also supporting indigenous harvesting, domestic fisheries and Canada’s international trade obligations. Our partners will speak to their respective roles in the delivery of this program during their opening remarks.
Under this program, Fisheries and Oceans Canada is responsible for opening and closing harvesting areas based on recommendations and evidence provided by federal program partners, and for informing the public accordingly. More broadly, Fisheries and Oceans Canada supports the long-term sustainability of shellfish harvesting through precautionary management, stock assessments where information is available, and effective licensing, compliance and enforcement. Our conservation and protection branch ensures compliance with shellfish harvest regulations, including the management of contaminated fisheries regulations, in areas subject to closure or restriction. Fisheries officers maintain a presence on the ground, investigate potential illegal harvesting and work collaboratively with program partners to ensure that public health protections are respected.
The expansion of harvesting opportunities—including for softshell clams—is dependent on scientific testing, assessments and sustained monitoring capacity. In the Baie des Chaleurs region, many shoreline areas have historically not been fully assessed under the CSSP, or were classified conservatively due to limited or outdated data or the presence of multiple pollution sources.
At the same time, it is important to note that the CSSP’s geographic coverage across Canada is prioritized based on public health risk and known harvesting activity. The program has experienced increasing demand over the past two decades, while core funding has remained relatively stable.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada recognizes the importance of shellfish harvesting to coastal and indigenous communities and is actively working with federal partners to improve program delivery. Recent targeted investments through budget 2024 supported increased engagement in indigenous communities and addressed long-term closures affecting food, social and ceremonial harvesting. Additionally, federal partners are advancing modernization initiatives, such as digital mapping tools, to strengthen program efficiency.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada remains committed to working collaboratively with our federal partners, provincial governments, indigenous communities and stakeholders to balance public health protection with sustainable access to shellfish resources.
We would be pleased to respond to the committee’s questions. Thank you.