Madam Chair, federal fishing regulations have severely restricted access and opportunities for salmon fishing in B.C., especially around Vancouver Island, by using anglers as scapegoats in an attempt to look like salmon are being protected. Well-recognized organizations such as the Sport Fishing Advisory Board, which has worked with DFO for decades, recommended mark-selective fisheries, which would have a near-zero impact on stocks of concern yet would provide opportunity and economic relief in the area.
Can the minister provide an estimate of how much revenue has been lost due to the closure of the public recreational fisheries on the west coast in 2019-20?