Madam Speaker, I am very aware of some fishers' concerns about their access to mackerel and bait. Our department is working with them to try to find a solution to this problem.
The department closed the entire fishery in Atlantic Canada on October 14 in order to assess the total commercial catch in Canadian waters in 2016. The assessment indicates that mackerel catches in 2016 are within the range set for the year. There are no plans to reopen this fishery this year in order not to exceed the catch limit established. The department manages the fisheries to ensure that they are sustainable and to protect the resources we have.