Mr. Speaker, B.C. produces 5,000 tonnes per year of oysters. This provides high paying jobs.
France imported 100 tonnes of oyster broodstock from B.C. 15 years ago and is now producing 150,000 tonnes per year or 30 times greater than the production of B.C.
The aquaculture industry continues to be bogged down by counterproductive federal rules and bureaucracy. Shellfish production needs to be moved to an advocacy ministry such as agriculture. The federal aquaculture development strategy of 1995 has never been adopted by DFO. The current attitude and practices of DFO and DOE are costing west coast jobs, jobs, jobs, big time.
This has led to calls for provincial jurisdiction. This is probably the only answer unless there is a federal attitude transplant.
I ask the respective ministers to get with the program to allow the industry to prosper.