Fisheries Committee on Oct. 9th, 2025

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

Minister, according to the Constitution, who is ultimately responsible for managing Canada's fisheries resources?

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

That would be me, as minister.

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

Thank you.

How much has your department's budget increased over the last 10 years?

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

I'll look to the deputy.

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

I can provide the answer. It's actually tripled, from $1.7 billion to $6 billion. This was in the main estimates. It more than tripled.

Would you agree that stock assessments are a core function of your department's work?

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

Yes.

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

In early July, a concerned citizen contacted me because your department had not signed contracts with river walkers who count salmon in B.C. These delays dragged on through the summer and caused the cancellation of numerous stock assessment programs for sockeye salmon and others. Why has your department abandoned fisheries science that is essential to managing and conserving fisheries like Pacific wild salmon?

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

I can assure you that science and conservation are still primary goals for me. For that particular question, I'll look to the deputy.

[Annette Gibbons]

I would clarify, on the budget increase, that a lot of that increase was for the Coast Guard, particularly in the last couple of years.

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

I want to go back to the question about stock assessments. Why weren't they done?

[Annette Gibbons]

On the river walkers, we did have some difficulty with timeliness and with getting those signed this year. Once we were aware of what the logjam was, we rectified it.

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

The budget was there. The contracts were there. They just needed signatures.

[Annette Gibbons]

We are very aware of that. It had to do with hiring processes, but we did fix the problem.

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

Minister, this committee has done a lot of work over the past six years, especially in examining the need for licence reforms in the Pacific region. This committee tabled reports, agreed to by all members of the committee, in 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2023, all of which contained recommendations for licence reform in the Pacific region.

The Liberal government's responses suggested it would act in line with the report recommendations, but it has not. In the meantime, in B.C., prawn licences have gone up 187%, crab licences have gone up 321%, halibut quotas are up 89% and the list goes on. The government's inaction is putting B.C. harvesters out of jobs.

When will you and your government deliver licence reforms for B.C. harvesters?

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

I think it's very important and I referenced this in my opening comments. I spent time in B.C. this summer and I'll be there next week. The modernization of the Fisheries Act in B.C. is very important to me.

In my opening comments, I spoke about my commitment to owner-operators on the east coast. I realize that modernization on the west coast will be different and it will happen through intensive engagement.

I agree with you that we need to ensure that I'm doing this work now and I—

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

Is your department doing the work?

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

I work in close collaboration with the department and I set priorities. There is very much an understanding that the department works with me to support the work, and I can assure you—

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

I hope you understand the importance of this to B.C. fishermen.

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

I heard that loud and clear this summer.

Thank you.

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

Thank you.

Your department estimated the 2025 Fraser summer sockeye run to be slightly over two million fish, but the actual run ended up being between seven million and 10 million fish. Despite this abundance in the return, you refused optimal access for harvesters, who have directly sacrificed so much in rebuilding the stocks. They've done everything they can to see the return and the restoration of these stocks. When the stocks did return in abundance, they were denied access.

Why is that?

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

This year's run was very promising. Certainly, we are optimistic and hopeful that we'll see this next year, but we need to be incredibly careful before we quickly increase quotas, in order to ensure the stock is in a place where it can be sustainable.

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

We have people with 40 years of experience who have provided information to the panel but who are resigning because they are so frustrated with the system and the lack of access.

Why is that?

[The Chair, Liberal, Patrick Weiler]

I'm afraid the time is up. The question and a response can be submitted in writing, but we need to move on to our next questioner.

The next speaker is Mr. Cormier.

Excuse me. It's Mr. Morrissey for five minutes or less.

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Madam Minister, I'd like to quote another great minister of fisheries from Newfoundland, the Honourable John Crosbie. He had to oversee the end of a nine-year Conservative government mismanagement of the fishery on the east coast, which led to the historic collapse of the cod fishery in Newfoundland. When I questioned him about that, he said that, often, it's the bluster that comes from the opposition of the day that pushes ministers to make decisions that are not in the best long-term interest. We have to avoid that. I do not want to see decisions that result in that kind of disastrous impact for any fishery.

With some species, there's a growing divide between department science or data and what fishers are observing on the water.

Could you give us your opinion on how you're going to blend what fishers are observing in their data, which is real, with the science, in order to make decisions that protect the management of the fishery and the resource?

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

I remember the cod moratorium. I remember the chill of that night. I also certainly well remember the devastation for the families and the communities. I, in no way, ever want to see that happen again.

I am quite firm in my resolve that decisions will be based on science and conservation but through consultation. That is why I have travelled as much as I have since I've been in this role. We have to consult with the expertise on the water—the harvesters and those invested in the industry. Where there are discrepancies, we need to be able to sit together and look at what's missing and what that middle piece is. I've done that on two occasions for particular decisions and I will continue to do that by working closely with the department.

My commitment is that we will have a fishery for the next generation. We all have a role to play here.