Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to respond to my colleague by discussing DFO's approach to emerging fisheries, including possible new fisheries in the north. I know the member is a northerner and is vigilant about issues relating to the north, so I appreciate his interest.
Currently there is subsistence fishing across the Canadian Arctic and some commercial fishing in the Canadian waters off Nunavut. Within domestic waters for new, unfished areas we employ an emerging fisheries policy. This policy follows the precautionary approach and allows for carefully managed exploratory fisheries to gather the necessary data to inform managers of the characteristics of the fish stocks and whether they can form the basis of a sustainable fishery. Our approach is to try and inform ourselves of the nature and scope of fish stocks before making any conclusive management decisions. That is the general approach we take with new unfished areas and emerging fisheries.
Further, it is important that we take into account land claim agreements and interests of northern communities. There are specific rights and obligations that need to be factored in when considering the harvesting of natural resources in the north.
This Canadian approach, where we build our knowledge and consider aboriginal interests in order to inform the best management option, is the kind of approach we seek outside Canadian waters as well.
It is recognized that the knowledge of Arctic fish stocks is incomplete. The five Arctic coastal states agree that further research is a priority. It is far from clear that commercially viable fish stocks exist in the international area of the Arctic Ocean because many of the characteristics needed for robust fisheries are not a reality in the deep, generally low productive region of the central Arctic Ocean.
In addition, conditions in the Arctic Ocean continue to be harsh. The margins of the Arctic Ocean are starting to experience longer open water seasons, as my colleague has said. However, the international areas will continue to have access issues due to persistent and treacherous ice conditions for some time to come.
A commercially viable international fishery in the Arctic Ocean is not imminent. It is important to remember that the area is not without a governance framework as the provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea already apply. It is not clear yet that there is a need for a new regional fisheries management organization treaty or that a complete moratorium is necessary.
While a moratorium is one option, Canada supports a pragmatic, precautionary approach whereby we can gather the necessary information and fully consider northern aboriginal interests before management decisions are taken.
Discussions among Arctic coastal states as to how potential Arctic fisheries could be managed were launched at the Arctic Ocean foreign ministers' meeting in March 2010 in Chelsea, Quebec. Subsequent to that, officials from the five coastal states met to consider the legal, technical and scientific issues related to Arctic fisheries.
Additionally, the United States hosted a fisheries experts workshop last summer in Alaska, where Canadian scientists joined other experts to determine the state of knowledge with regard to Arctic fisheries and identify research needs. Officials of the coastal states are looking forward to meeting again to determine how best to fill these important information gaps.
The Arctic coastal states agree that improving our knowledge of the state of the Arctic fisheries and their habitat is a priority and Canada will continue to work collaboratively to address these important information needs and develop an international approach that respects Canadian interests and ensures sustainable Arctic fisheries.