With respect to aboriginal fishing activities in British Columbia during the period from March 31, 1992, to November 30, 1997, with the exception of salmon and herring fisheries: ( a ) which aboriginal groups received communal licences or other authorization to fish excluding commercial fishing licences of the same type issued to the all-canadian commercial fishing fleet in British Columbia; ( b ) what period did each licence include; ( c ) what species did each licence include; ( d ) what quantity of each species could be harvested under each licence; ( e ) what quantity of each species was reported as harvested under each licence; ( f ) what evidence does the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) possess to conclude that these aboriginal groups have an aboriginal right to harvest the species for which the licence was issued in the area in which the fishing activities take place; ( g ) what evidence of pre-contact harvesting of the species did the aboriginal groups provide to convince DFO such that they now ought to be awarded an aboriginal licence; ( h ) were any coastal waters of British Columbia closed either permanently or temporarily to fishing by other Canadians to accommodate these aboriginal fisheries; ( i ) if certain areas were closed, which areas, for what period and to accommodate which aboriginal group fishing and for which species; ( j ) what evidence does DFO possess to conclude that an area closure was necessary to protect the claimed aboriginal fishing right; and ( k ) in the absence of a proven aboriginal right to fish, on what grounds or on what basis does DFO close waters to fishing by Canadians other than those belonging to a designated aboriginal group?
Return tabled.