Mr. Chair, we live in a fantastic country where a member of Parliament from Alberta can get up and engage in a debate on the snow crab fishery and the shellfish industry in Atlantic Canada.
I really enjoy the time I spend with my colleagues here tonight, most of whom are on the fisheries committee.
In spite of some of the rhetoric we hear and some of the drama we see from members in the House, I think fishermen, whether they live on the east or the west coast or whether they are involved in the freshwater fishery across our country, can all take some comfort in the fact that, while parliamentarians appear to disagree for political reasons, we generally all agree that the state of the fishery is so important to all the affected communities that we often come together and form a good consensus on the policies that affect so many Canadians' lives.
My background is that I am privileged to have had an opportunity to go to university and get a zoology degree in fisheries and aquatic sciences. I have worked as a professional fishing guide. I have worked as a fisheries technician for the Alberta fish and wildlife department. I have worked as a conservation officer and as a national park warden enforcing the Fisheries Act.
I will keep to my notes on the facts pertaining to the scientific end of things because that is where I am most comfortable in having my discussions.
I would like to provide some important context about the science that lies behind the snow crab quotas allotted by Fisheries and Oceans Canada to the licence holders.
Canada relies on scientific data to make informed decisions about the management of all stocks, whether they are freshwater stocks, finfish stocks or shellfish stocks, and that definitely includes snow crab.
It is impossible to determine the precise number of snow crab in the Gulf of St. Lawrence at any given moment, just as it is impossible to determine how many walleye there are in Pigeon Lake in Alberta. We do not know exactly how many there are. They do not have passports. They do not register. We do not even know how many Canadians are living in Canada. We even guess at that.
Simply put, no perfect method exists to estimate the exact size of any wild stock. Science uses wildlife management. Species management relies on a variety of techniques to make our best estimate. Our best hope is to apply those scientifically proven methods in a consistent and meticulous manner to provide the best estimate of abundance with the technology presently available and to continually strive to improve sampling and analytical methodologies. That is precisely the approach followed by Fisheries and Oceans Canada in the snow crab fishery.
Prior to the 1980s, fishers were the primary source of data about the health of snow crab stocks. At that time fisheries officials would review log books and reported landings to estimate the size of the snow crab stock.
These methods documented sizeable swings in the annual snow crab harvest in the southern portion of the gulf. From its humble beginnings in the mid-1960s, the harvest grew to exceed 33,000 tonnes in 1982, then dropped to 13,600 tonnes in 1987, and fell below 9,000 tonnes three years later. Since then landings have continued to fluctuate significantly.
In 1988 scientists introduced a new assessment method, which was based on conducting a census of snow crab abundance using an annual trawl survey. While the method has been significantly refined over the years, it still adheres to the same rigorous scientific protocols. Here is how it works.
Following the close of the fishery each year, a crew of scientists travels to a series of 300 sites in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The sites are chosen carefully, and samples are gathered from all four areas where commercial fishers harvest snow crab. Each snow crab is accurately measured and counted and returned to the sea.
The scientists aim to measure the relative abundance of various categories of crab. For example, it is important to know the number of mature females, which are not retained in the commercial fishery, as well as the commercial-sized and undersized males. This information enables researchers to estimate the current number of commercial-sized males, those with a carapace size of at least 95 millimetres, and it also enables researchers to predict the number of crabs expected to mature and recruit to the fishery in the next few years.
All of this data is then subjected to sophisticated analysis using geo-statistical methods. This analysis enables scientists to estimate, in a relatively accurate manner, not only the overall size of crab stocks, but also how the stock is likely to change in the short term.
Tracking of annual fluctuations in snow crab stocks is crucial for two reasons: one, because the estimates from this year influence decisions about catch quotas for future years and, two, because snow crab populations tend to fluctuate according to a relatively predictable cycle.
The reasons for this regular fluctuation are not completely understood, although each cycle tends to last approximately 10 years.
The 2005 fishery marked the peak of the most recent cycle, and the stock has been in a declining phase since that time. Given this reality, many stakeholders were understandably concerned about the results of the latest sampling.
This year, as is always the case, data from the trawl survey along with the analysis were subject to a science peer review. In February stakeholders of a number of groups participated in this peer review, and DFO scientists and fisheries management officials were joined by their counterparts from the provinces, the fishing industry and first nations communities.
Scientific experts in the field of crustacean stock assessment from within and outside DFO were also invited. During the last peer review, an expert from the United States National Marine Fisheries Service participated.
The review confirmed what many already suspected, that the stock is still in its declining phase. The commercial biomass of snow crab in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence was estimated at 26,100 tonnes for the 2010 fishing season. This represents a 46% decline from the figure for the 2009 fishery. The review also indicated that the stock is not expected to start its increase before 2012.
Although these facts may be unwelcome, they must not be ignored. Five years ago, during the peak of the cycle, the estimated biomass exceeded 84,000 tonnes and the 2005 quota for the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence was set at 36,100 tonnes. Each year since then, both the biomass levels and the annual quota have fallen gradually. Last year the estimated biomass was 48,000 tonnes and the quota was set at 20,900 tonnes. Anyone familiar with the snow crab fishery had every reason to expect a further reduction this year.
The sampling, analysis and review processes are all reliable and sound. The methodology is well established, credible and dependable. The analytical models are compliant to scientific standards for correlating resources and geography.
For more than 20 years, Fisheries and Oceans Canada has relied on these estimates to set appropriate quotas. Fisheries management groups around the world follow similar processes.
The same information is used for much more than setting catch limits. Stakeholders rely on the data to develop and implement their own fishing strategies. Many commercial fishing groups, for instance, use the data to determine how much time and effort they should invest in crab harvesting in a given season and which areas they should target.
Sharing data is the essence of modern science. Science is increasingly at the centre of fisheries management not only in Canada but also around the world. The reason for this is simple. Basing management decisions on scientific data offers the best way to conserve the ocean's renewable resources in an era of rising demand for those same resources. In our quest for sustainable fisheries, science remains our best ally.
The guiding principle of sustainable fisheries management is caution. The precautionary approach, as it is called, acknowledges that while our understanding of fisheries and ocean habitats is limited, the consequences of long-term overfishing are all too familiar: the collapse of fish stocks and crises in coastal communities have resulted.
The truth is that science offers the best hope for understanding the world we live in and for achieving a sustainable snow crab fishery now and well into the future.