Evidence of meeting #7 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 shrimp.
A recording is available from Parliament.
October 21st, 2025 / 4:45 p.m.
Liberal
Serge Cormier Liberal Acadie—Bathurst, NB
Beyond the effects on communities, I would like you to give me examples for the members you represent. Has this had a beneficial effect on them?
Director General, Coopérative des Capitaines Propriétaires de la Gaspésie
Several of our members have received licences, and this has been extremely beneficial for them. It has enabled some to save their fishing businesses, and others to put the bank on hold, which was about to cut them off. So it has been beneficial for several fishing businesses.
Director General, Coopérative des Capitaines Propriétaires de la Gaspésie
Catches have reached an all-time high. The last three years have seen an increase in quantities, and we are very happy for everyone, both those who already had licences and those who have just received them. Will this last? We don’t know, but for the moment, the signs are positive in terms of resources.
Liberal
Serge Cormier Liberal Acadie—Bathurst, NB
Just to clarify, we are talking about zone 19, which is closer to Anticosti Island, in that region, correct?
Director General, Coopérative des Capitaines Propriétaires de la Gaspésie
Since 2024, three areas have been primarily targeted. The first, in 2024, was zone 18, on the Côte-Nord. This year, in 2025, it was an area off the coast of Anticosti Island, which is zone 17, and along the northern coast of the Gaspésie, which is zone 19.
Liberal
Serge Cormier Liberal Acadie—Bathurst, NB
During the committee’s most recent meetings, we heard from many herring and mackerel fishers who were unhappy with the decision because they did not receive licences. At previous meetings, I spoke about lobster fishers on the Paspébiac side and along the entire coast, where herring and mackerel fishers are located. Lobster catches are good on that side. As you know, these fishers have also had snow crab allocations since the 2000s.
Do you think that a solution for these herring and mackerel fishers would be to have a small percentage of this allocation, given that lobster fishing is doing considerably better in these regions?
Director General, Coopérative des Capitaines Propriétaires de la Gaspésie
This is a delicate question to answer. I am not familiar with the dynamics between the Regroupement des pêcheurs professionnels du Sud de la Gaspésie, or RPPSG, and the Regroupement des pêcheurs pélagiques professionnels du Sud de la Gaspésie, or RPPPSG. As I said in my opening remarks, if we can find ways at some point to redistribute aid measures previously granted to others who are doing better to struggling fishers or fleets, fortunately, we may have part of the solution to help avoid certain types of crises.
Liberal
Serge Cormier Liberal Acadie—Bathurst, NB
Perfect. Earlier, you heard some comments about the new allocation, which allocates 10% of the redfish quotas. We agree that 10% is a start, but it is not enough to be profitable, as even government officials have said. What would be the magic number that shrimp fishers would need to make their trips out to sea profitable? Isn’t it cheaper now to go out to sea to fish for redfish rather than shrimp?
Director General, Coopérative des Capitaines Propriétaires de la Gaspésie
Yes, normally. I’m not saying it will stay that way, but for at least the past two years, when fishers go out to sea to fish for redfish, depending on the time of year and the constraints associated with fishing, they can return to port in less than 24, 36 or 48 hours with a hold that is practically full. Under these conditions, it is already profitable to do so.
On the other hand, I know another fisher who had to “exile” himself to what is known as unit 1 and unit 2 during the winter because unit 1 is not open. In such a case, with the distance to be travelled and the constraints involved, it becomes extremely difficult to make a trip profitable.
Liberal
Serge Cormier Liberal Acadie—Bathurst, NB
Okay, perfect.
Mr. Boucher, you said earlier that, in your opinion, the decision to share the new lobster licences was essentially correct. Why do you think some people seem to be saying that there is injustice, a conspiracy, or something else involved in the allocation of these new licences? Do you think the minister’s decision was the right one under the circumstances?
General Manager, Regroupement des pêcheurs professionnels du Nord de la Gaspésie
Under the circumstances, it was virtually impossible to make a perfect decision. Taking into account all the factors that had to be analyzed, the realities of the various fleets, the fishers in difficulty and everything else, the decision made was appropriate. It could have been better in some respects, as I mentioned, but overall, adequate work was done on that front.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Patrick Weiler
Thank you very much, Mr. Cormier.
Mr. Deschênes, you have the floor for six minutes.
Bloc
Alexis Deschênes Bloc Gaspésie—Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine—Listuguj, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Mr. Boucher, the fact that fleets are in difficulty is a criterion that often comes up when discussing the allocation of licences. Everyone seems to agree on this criterion. However, how was it determined that some fleets are in greater difficulty than others?
As you so eloquently stated, turbot fishers are facing a collapse in stocks; that is indisputable. Among the members of your group who had licences, were some better off because they had other fishing allocations, such as halibut?
General Manager, Regroupement des pêcheurs professionnels du Nord de la Gaspésie
Absolutely. The fact remains that turbot fishing, which has collapsed, was the main source of income for these fishers. It was really the core of their business, to which allowances for other species had been added over time.
Bloc
Alexis Deschênes Bloc Gaspésie—Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine—Listuguj, QC
About 16 members of your group had exploratory fishing licences for turbot. What percentage of them also had exploratory fishing licences for halibut?
General Manager, Regroupement des pêcheurs professionnels du Nord de la Gaspésie
A groundfish licence gives them access to halibut through the allocation of a competitive quota, now individual quotas. Otherwise, they have access to it through the allocation of individual quotas that have been added over time, as we see with turbot fishing.
Bloc
Alexis Deschênes Bloc Gaspésie—Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine—Listuguj, QC
When turbot fishing collapsed, were those in difficulty able to obtain significant quotas for halibut fishing?
General Manager, Regroupement des pêcheurs professionnels du Nord de la Gaspésie
They had access to significant quantities of halibut. However, the business was not necessarily profitable, since profitability was based on all species landed, such as turbot, snow crab in some cases, or halibut. By eliminating the largest portion of a company’s revenue, the company may still be able to survive, but it is no longer profitable. The purpose of doing business is not only to be able to make payments, but also to have money left over after making them. That is why companies were affected.
Bloc
Alexis Deschênes Bloc Gaspésie—Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine—Listuguj, QC
For example, did some of your fishers catch up to 100,000 pounds of halibut?
General Manager, Regroupement des pêcheurs professionnels du Nord de la Gaspésie
No, we are not talking about halibut quotas of that magnitude.
Bloc
Alexis Deschênes Bloc Gaspésie—Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine—Listuguj, QC
Okay.
You mentioned the consultations you participated in. To your knowledge, was the Department of Fisheries and Oceans interested in the financial situation of each fisher?
General Manager, Regroupement des pêcheurs professionnels du Nord de la Gaspésie
This issue was not addressed during these consultations.
The previous witnesses discussed this earlier. From a fisheries management perspective, the financial aspect is not necessarily taken into account. It is part of the suggestions and proposals we presented, knowing, however, that they would probably not be accepted. Although each company has a different financial situation, we were still able to get an overall picture of the situation using the various fisheries and the portfolios of licences held by the fishers involved. Even though we did not know everyone’s financial statements, we still had a good idea of what might happen for everyone.
Bloc
Alexis Deschênes Bloc Gaspésie—Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine—Listuguj, QC
Were licences granted to people who managed to pocket hundreds of thousands of pounds, for example by fishing for halibut, despite the collapse of the turbot fishery?
General Manager, Regroupement des pêcheurs professionnels du Nord de la Gaspésie
I don’t believe so.