Evidence of meeting #43 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 rivers.
A video is available from Parliament.
Conservative
President, Atlantic Salmon Federation
Striped bass is a localized, significant pressure on one of Canada's most important wild Atlantic salmon rivers, the Miramichi. Reducing that population will immediately result in significantly improved Atlantic salmon survival and adult returns to Canadian rivers.
Conservative
Mel Arnold Conservative Kamloops—Shuswap—Central Rockies, BC
Thank you.
I want to go back to those two recommendations, because those were recommendations to government. Basically what we're hearing....
Please tell me. Did government respond appropriately and implement those two recommendations?
Liberal
Mark Hambrook President Emeritus, Miramichi Salmon Association Inc.
I remember when those recommendations were made, and efforts were made to try to get a grey seal harvest, especially by the private communities, but we always ran into roadblocks.
One of the big ones is the marine protection act in the United States. If we harvest seals and use them for some purpose, they might ban our lobster imports. Trying to get a grey seal harvest has not been easy, even though there are people willing to do it and, I think, they have markets identified. It's been this political struggle.
Certainly, on striped bass, we've increased the recreational fishing limits, and we have an indigenous commercial fishery, but they're all moving way too slow to make a difference. Fundamentally, this lower reference point of 330,000 is a real stumbling block for the DFO. We need it down to 100,000. We think that was a flawed study—the 330,000. We've asked the government to reconvene, bring different scientists in and get that lowered. If it were lowered to 100,000, we'd be able to do something more.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
Thank you very much.
I'll go to Mr. Cormier for the Liberals for five minutes, please, Serge.
Liberal
Serge Cormier Liberal Acadie—Bathurst, NB
Thank you, Madam Chair.
Going back to Mr. Wilbur for a second, on the $80-million strategy we just announced plus your $20-something million more that you're going to put in, what are you going to do with that money?
President, Atlantic Salmon Federation
For Atlantic salmon, there's such a range of issues because they have a complex life cycle all the way to Greenland and back. Low marine survival is widely recognized as the major bottleneck across the Canadian range. There is such a range of issues. Some we can control, and some we can't. We may not be able to do very much about low marine survival.
What we can control is removing barriers in watersheds so that habitat isn't as fragmented. It's like death by a thousand cuts in eastern Canada, with dams and culverts. There's climate-resilient cold-water habitat there. We need to remove those barriers. We'll be investing in that. We need landscape protections to buffer against the impacts of climate change, warming water and the increased intensity of rain events.
Protecting more land and contributing to the Canada 30 by 30 commitment is probably the biggest opportunity in our lifetimes to make progress on one of the root-cause issues and give Atlantic salmon the gift of long-term sustainability, which is cold, clean water.
Liberal
Serge Cormier Liberal Acadie—Bathurst, NB
Maybe I'll go to Mr. Dalton really quickly and then Mr. D'Amours.
You are all conservation groups for, let's say, Atlantic salmon. There's some other conservation group that does not agree with you regarding the striped bass. As you said, it's a success story. Wow, it's growing.
How do you blend together and explain to each other, yes, it's a success story, but there's no balance here anymore?
William (Butch) Dalton
It's just the way that you've said it. There is no balance. From a management perspective, DFO has engaged in single-species management in isolation. They're not looking at an ecosystem-based approach. Everybody likes to fish striped bass. Everybody likes to fish Atlantic salmon, but when you get three guys in a boat who can go out for four hours and catch 270 striped bass, there's a problem. That's catching; it's not fishing.
I don't think anybody wants to see the demise of striped bass. They're a native species to the Miramichi. We're just looking for a balance here. It's an ecosystem out of control, and it's having an impact not only on Atlantic salmon but on trout, gaspereau and other species.
Liberal
Serge Cormier Liberal Acadie—Bathurst, NB
Mr. D'Amours, earlier I told you that I've been fishing for salmon for 25 years. I'm probably not an expert like you, but I love it so much. I tie my own flies. I have my own canoe. I've been fishing since I was—
Biologist and Salmon Fishing Guide, As an Individual
What's your favourite fly?
Liberal
Serge Cormier Liberal Acadie—Bathurst, NB
I have two. I'd say that the first fly I ever caught a salmon with was the Green Machine. My second would be the Blue Charm.
Biologist and Salmon Fishing Guide, As an Individual
Did you catch small or large salmon?
Liberal
Serge Cormier Liberal Acadie—Bathurst, NB
My biggest one was about 27 pounds, and I'm really happy with that. I'm not in the 30-pound club yet, but I'm glad I got close.
I'd actually like to continue on this same topic. As you mentioned earlier, it creates jobs such as guides, camp staff and cooks. There are even small shops that sell all kinds of fishing hooks.
Do you think that recreational salmon fishing is sometimes seen as a pastime for the wealthy? We often hear that it's a pastime for the wealthy, that it doesn't matter if we don't invest in it, and that the wealthy will just move on to something else. Do you hear that, too?
Biologist and Salmon Fishing Guide, As an Individual
It's certainly a sport for the wealthy. Even for the average person, it's expensive to go salmon fishing.
That said, when you want to hate something, you can always find a good reason. We must never forget, when it comes to the Restigouche River and the many fishing camps, that it is the Americans who own the river. We need to make an effort to realize that, for every American, there are often three or four people from the village who will find work. We must recognize that the entire community in northern New Brunswick, in the Matapedia River region, depends directly on this. Therefore, we must strive to promote it. We must realize that countless people make their living from the rivers and the salmon.
Liberal
Serge Cormier Liberal Acadie—Bathurst, NB
Like me, have you noticed that in recent years there has been a resurgence of interest in this recreational fishing, among people of all social classes as well as among young people? Take Hooké, for example—which you're probably familiar with. We're seeing young people who are genuinely interested in this type of fishing. They want to conserve salmon and do more.
So, when you guide these people, do you also see that they aren't just millionaires, as people say?
Biologist and Salmon Fishing Guide, As an Individual
I'm especially happy to see women here because, at first, I only served as a guide for men. How many women have I introduced to salmon fishing? How many women have accepted a small salmon that I gave them? People come salmon fishing, as I was explaining earlier, and they see the benefits of this type of fishing. They catch the salmon and release it back into the water, but they've felt the salmon's energy. It's so rewarding to see all these young people, older folks, and those who aren't wealthy, but who are still able to catch salmon. That's why it's a good thing—
Biologist and Salmon Fishing Guide, As an Individual
It is such a precious asset. We cannot lose it.
Mr. Cormier, don't forget the Restigouche River; don't forget that the striped bass is an invasive species—I repeat, invasive.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
Mr. D'Amours, can we wrap up, please?
Mr. Deschênes, you have two and a half minutes.
Bloc
Alexis Deschênes Bloc Gaspésie—Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine—Listuguj, QC
Thank you, Madam Chair.
Mr. Wilbur, I fully understand your point of view and the importance of taking action regarding the striped bass population. Now, what specific measures do you propose to reduce the striped bass population originating from the Miramichi River?
President, Atlantic Salmon Federation
That's a great question. Thank you.
I'm proposing, specifically, that DFO support the Eel Ground First Nation and other first nations communities throughout the gulf region in the development of the fishery, so they can actually catch the quota of 175,000 set by DFO.
Simultaneously, allow bycatch in the gaspereau fishery throughout the Gulf of St. Lawrence.