Evidence of meeting #40 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 mackerel.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
Thank you very much.
Now I go to Mr. Connors from the Liberals.
You have six minutes.
Liberal
Paul Connors Liberal Avalon, NL
Good day and welcome to all the witnesses here today.
I just want to get a bit of a clarification from Mr. Wareham.
When you mentioned the paper licences, is that for inshore, midshore and offshore?
President and Chief Executive Officer, Icewater Seafoods Inc.
There's the paper licence for the inshore for sure, and for offshore, yes, we have paper licence conditions as well.
Liberal
Paul Connors Liberal Avalon, NL
Okay.
Mr. Wareham, I want to talk about the economic impact of a two-week delay or delayed openings.
Can you give us some more details on what the economic impact is?
President and Chief Executive Officer, Icewater Seafoods Inc.
Sure. I'll use as my example, from my remarks, 5,650 tonnes of inshore cod left in the water last year. That would be $12 million paid to inshore fishermen, and it would be $3 million in work at Arnold's Cove, in wages, but it is also product for our customers in markets that are desperately needing cod right.
When the cod fishery was open last year, and all the processors were buying, we were buying 2,300 metric tons of quota weight per week, so in two weeks we could buy 4,600 metric tons.
It's very important to get a timely opening for northern cod.
Liberal
Paul Connors Liberal Avalon, NL
You mentioned processing capacity. That would not be an issue or concern from your perspective.
President and Chief Executive Officer, Icewater Seafoods Inc.
The market has never been better. The world cod supply is down 40% in the last five years. Northern cod, Canadian cod, is the only cod stock that's growing in the world. The world is watching right now. Everybody is eager for the Canadian cod quota to increase in line with science, and we have the markets.
Liberal
Paul Connors Liberal Avalon, NL
Okay.
I wanted to just talk about stock migration too, and you said that it's inshore, offshore. I know the northern cod is back, but what other areas around the island or around Atlantic Canada do you see as improving?
President and Chief Executive Officer, Icewater Seafoods Inc.
Cod spends its winter in 2J primarily, and then it comes into the inshore areas in 3K and 3L in the summer months. Then it goes back.
We have a fisheries improvement project that we've been doing for 10 years now in the process of getting northern cod MSC-certified. We announced in Barcelona, at the seafood exposition several weeks ago, that we have entered MSC full assessment.
Part of that work is migration patterns and tracking the migration patterns. We've tagged 1,100 northern cod. For some of the tags, the batteries operate for five years. We have 75 transponders in the ocean on the northeast coast of Newfoundland. We are monitoring the migration patterns.
The ecosystem has changed since the early 1980s and 1990s. We need to study the migration patterns, so we understand the movements of the cod to be able to manage the fishery better, based on current management science.
Liberal
Paul Connors Liberal Avalon, NL
Thank you very much.
Last year, some of the total allowable catch of the inshore fishery went uncaught. Do you know why that was uncaught, why that was left in the water?
President and Chief Executive Officer, Icewater Seafoods Inc.
The delayed season was a contributing factor to that. As well, unfortunately, for the first time in Newfoundland's history, we had the wildfires, as you know, in Conception Bay. Some of the fishermen had to evacuate, so they couldn't fish.
The fish moved out of Conception Bay, interestingly, two weeks earlier last year than the year before. Whether it was environmental conditions or whatever, the fish moved. The fish weren't there for the fishermen, so they couldn't catch them.
I guess it was a combination of a multitude of things. We had delayed opening, we had evacuation and we had fish moving. After Labour Day in Newfoundland, as you're aware, the weather patterns change, and it's not safe to go on a dayboat out in Bonavista. You mightn't come back. The weather plays a very big part in the dayboat fishery.
Liberal
Paul Connors Liberal Avalon, NL
How do you think the industry can be more involved in the decision-making on the opening and closing? I mean more the opening, I guess.
President and Chief Executive Officer, Icewater Seafoods Inc.
I think we're involved today. We're in the groundfish advisory meetings. We meet with the department on a regular basis.
The decision just seems to take a little longer. In the industry, we are actively engaged on a regular basis. We are making these points. They're aware of the situation. We just need to make the decision and get the quota announced.
President and Chief Executive Officer, Icewater Seafoods Inc.
All of the information is there.
Liberal
President and Chief Executive Officer, Icewater Seafoods Inc.
No, that's for the department to.... Obviously, there are procedures. We got together on April 8 for a groundfish advisory meeting in Newfoundland, with all sectors there—inshore, offshore, indigenous and DFO science—and then that takes a process.
The Newfoundland region had to report back to Kent Street, and then at Kent Street they have to do their thing, so it does take some time. It's not going to happen overnight, but we are actively involved in the process.
Liberal
Paul Connors Liberal Avalon, NL
Okay. Thank you very much.
I have a couple of seconds left, but I'm good.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
Thank you, Paul.
I'll now go to Monsieur Champoux.
You have the floor for six minutes.
Bloc
Martin Champoux Bloc Drummond, QC
Thank you very much, Madam Chair.
I thank the witnesses for being present today.
I want to revisit some of the questions from my colleague Mr. Connors as I address you, Mr. McLinton.
There's a lot of talk about the opening and closing dates for the period in question. I was wondering if you could tell me a little bit about the current consultation process that the Department of Fisheries and Oceans uses to determine the appropriate opening dates according to the fishing zones.
Do you think this work is done early enough? Is it well structured?
Are the consultations conducted adequately and do they allow the industry and various stakeholders in the field to have some influence on the decisions that are made?
I'd like you to say a little more about that.
President, Fisheries Council of Canada
Thank you, Mr. Champoux.
I'll start by underscoring what I mentioned in my opening remarks, that, for the most part, what I'm hearing from members is that the processes are working well. My comments are meant to be taken in the spirit of continuous improvement.
What I am hearing, for the most part, when I speak with members, is that most of the challenges with regard to opening and closing dates come from our members on the Pacific coast, on the west coast, so I'll invite FCC member Grant Dovey to comment on his experience in a second. That's where most of the challenges are, but what I'm hearing is that the more transparent and clear the processes are, the better, and it is better when the government actually adheres to them.
I'll ask Mr. Dovey to comment on his experience.