Fisheries Committee on Oct. 9th, 2025

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

Thank you, Minister. This summer in particular, fishers observed and I observed what looked like a rebounding stock of mackerel and herring in the gulf region, and that should be taken into consideration as we move into next year's decisions on quota. I'm pleased to see that you will take that into consideration.

Minister, on a second point, currently in my province, the oyster fishery, which is a long-standing fishery, an old fishery, is in dire shape given the outbreak of MSX and dermo. Can you give this committee some indication of how the department will work with this industry to make sure there is a future for this industry? We know that it has rebounded in other areas, but this is an industry that will need assistance to ensure it's still there in five years and these fishers will be there.

There are a number of options on the table. Could you give us an opinion on how you see the department working with the Province of P.E.I. and the industry?

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

Obviously I know that this is an important issue. It's important across all of Atlantic Canada.

I have been meeting with my counterparts in all regions. I met with Minister Bell a number of times on this and will continue to. Obviously there are other departments involved here, but I think I'm certainly comfortable saying that there's a commitment that there is an issue and we'll work together. I certainly know the significance of the sector to your province of P.E.I. Just know that I will continue to be actively engaged.

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

Thank you, Minister.

I was pleased to see you so firm on ensuring the Fisheries Act would be enforced and violations would be severely charged. I'm concerned that in the very lucrative lobster fishery one of the threats that could be detrimental to this fishery is illegal activity. Will you commit to this committee to ensure illegal harvesters are dealt with to the fullest extent of the law?

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

I can commit to that. I think the evidence will show that from the moment I became minister, we engaged actively with the department to ensure that authorized fishing only would be accepted. That was followed through with action, and I really want to thank the fisheries officers from coast to coast to coast, who have been actively involved in ensuring we have authorized fishing and they do the work of enforcement. I thank them for the work they've done. It is making a difference.

[The Chair, Liberal, Patrick Weiler]

Thank you very much, Mr. Morrissey.

Mr. Deschênes, you have the floor for two and a half minutes.

[Alexis Deschênes, Bloc, Gaspésie—Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine—Listuguj, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair

Madam Minister, I would like to address the issue of the exploratory lobster fishing licence program. Licences were granted on the Côte‑Nord and in the Gaspé Peninsula in 2024 and 2025. The committee is currently reviewing this issue.

According to the testimony we have received since the beginning of the study, many people are complaining about a lack of transparency and a lack of explanation from the department. Groups have been excluded without knowing why, and a residency criterion is not being applied consistently across fleets.

Do you agree with me that we could do better?

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

Thank you.

I can assure you that I work in a manner that is engaged and collaborative and I am prepared to work with all stakeholders. I can't speak to what predecessors did, obviously, but management decisions are based in science and consultation. I am committed to that process.

[Alexis Deschênes, Bloc, Gaspésie—Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine—Listuguj, QC]

Are you listening to fishers and fishers’ groups?

Some have been excluded from the process. They would have liked their names to be included in the draw, but they were excluded. They would have liked answers from your department, but they never got any.

Are you listening to these complaints?

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

I'm going to turn to the deputy, because she would have been more engaged in that process.

[Annette Gibbons]

Depending on the area where they are located, some fishers with commercial licences have accepted our decision, while others have not.

[Alexis Deschênes, Bloc, Gaspésie—Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine—Listuguj, QC]

My question concerns the people who were excluded without explanation.

[Annette Gibbons]

We conducted extensive consultations on exploratory fishing licences for all areas. We had ambitious goals regarding succession, struggling fleets and first nations. This was considered a priority.

To select eligible fishers based on where they live, we established criteria such as residential address—

[Alexis Deschênes, Bloc, Gaspésie—Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine—Listuguj, QC]

However, this was not done uniformly for all groups.

Is that correct?

[Annette Gibbons]

I think we made a few exceptions where we gave a little more weight to where certain people had fished in the past.

[The Chair, Liberal, Patrick Weiler]

Thank you very much, Mr. Deschênes.

Next, we're going to go to Mr. d'Entremont. We'll give about five and half minutes.

[Chris d'Entremont, Conservative, Acadie—Annapolis, NS]

I'll go with five because I have about 10 minutes worth of questions.

Minister, thank you for being with us today. Thank you for being in southwest Nova Scotia on a couple of occasions this summer.

As you know, all politics are local, so I have a number of questions for you.

Since I was first elected in 2019, I've raised the ongoing issues with data on lobster stocks, especially when it comes to unreported and unregulated fishing, and conditions governing first nations' FSC fishing in St. Marys Bay. I've raised it with a number of your predecessors and, more recently, with you. After more than six years of raising these critical issues, I find it very worrying that, despite multiple requests, I have yet to receive a clear and comprehensive response, especially given the serious implications on the safety of fishers and community residents and, more importantly, on the sustainability of our fisheries.

Given the reports of unreported and unregulated fishing in St. Marys Bay, what enforcement actions has your department taken to protect lobster stocks?

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

As you know, I was in the area this summer. We and the department alongside have been actively engaged in ensuring that we have a fishery that remains within the quotas. We have enforcement when we feel there is unauthorized fishing.

Again, I want to thank the fisheries officers who have really stepped up to ensure that it is a safe and lawful fishery. It's obviously been a very difficult situation in the past, but I am committed to ensuring that we have an authorized fishery. Again, I want to thank the fisheries officers, who have done such strong work in enforcement. I believe that we are seeing the results of that.

[Chris d'Entremont, Conservative, Acadie—Annapolis, NS]

Has the department published up-to-date comprehensive data on lobster stock health and catch volumes of the lobster fishery?

We haven't seen a whole lot, so it's leaving the communities without the necessary information on the sustainability of that fishery.

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

I'm going to turn to the deputy for exact numbers—if they are available—from this year.

I want to make the point that I am aware that we need to be able to understand what's coming out of the water if we're going to have a fishery into the future. That's clearly how we manage our quotas and the health of the species going forward.

In terms of any information from this summer, Deputy, do you have something you would like to share?

[Annette Gibbons]

We certainly make public our science data on the stock assessments that we do, and we make public data on catch. All of this is traced and available to people.

[Chris d'Entremont, Conservative, Acadie—Annapolis, NS]

Can we have a written submission to the committee on that?

While I'm at it, can I ask for the first nations band total allowable catch for that fishery in district 34?

There are a number of bands there, but nobody has an idea of what their total allowable catches or quotas are in that bay. If I could have that written to the committee, it would be appreciated. Since the commercial fishery associations feel that the aboriginal licensing policy for eastern Canada only serves to corporatize the indigenous fishery, and results in a corporate takeover and possible foreign ownership, can you or someone from the department submit it to the committee in writing as well?

[Annette Gibbons]

Yes, we will certainly do our best with your questions.

[Chris d'Entremont, Conservative, Acadie—Annapolis, NS]

Can you explain how the department is currently monitoring lobster stocks in southwest Nova Scotia, specifically in St. Marys Bay, given the recent assessments indicating that there is decline? Despite commitments to sustainability, there is a decline.

What's happening in St. Marys Bay is pushing fishers farther out into other zones or other parts of the district, and it's pushing other fishers out. There's definitely a domino effect with what's happening in all of that district at this point.

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

I'm going to turn to the deputy for specific details, but of course, this is linked to the priorities of authorized fishing and the work that's been happening out of season in enforcement.

Deputy, do you have specifics on the science?

[Annette Gibbons]

Yes. We certainly do the stock assessments and have that information available.

With some of the changes that we've seen in southwest Nova Scotia.... There are a lot of conversations with the industry, as well, on the long-term trends and how we approach that collectively.