Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend the hon. Minister of Fisheries and Oceans on introducing new legislation intended to protect our straddling fish stocks. However, on the very same day that the minister introduced the new legislation there were seven Cuban fishing vessels fishing within the 200-mile limit.
As a result of the recent awarding of the fishery observer contract to Biorex, there were seven observers on site of which only three were experienced in monitoring this type of vessel. The other four observers did not have the experience to obtain the data DFO requires to effectively monitor their activities.
While I commend the minister for the new legislation, I have to wonder how the minister can justify announcing the legislation when the awarding of the observer contract by his own department has taken away the only effective, trained and experienced tool we have to adequately protect our fish stocks.