Madam Speaker, it is my pleasure to be here tonight on behalf of my hon. colleague from Burnaby North—Seymour.
Our government supports the precautionary approach to fisheries management, which prioritizes the health and conservation of stocks. The size limits are an important tool for managing the sustainability of the commercial spot prawn fishery and are supported by industry. A size limit allows prawns to grow and reproduce before being harvested, supporting the renewal and long-term sustainability of the stock. In addition, harvesting prawns at a large size increases the average weight and price per pound, improving economic returns for the fishery.
DFO has been working together with the spot prawn industry on market traceability and the packaging and labelling of spot prawn tails that are frozen at sea. Over the course of this work, DFO identified concerns about the packaging of spot prawn tails in tubs of frozen sea-water, a practice that only recently became common in the fishery. This practice can inhibit the ability of our enforcement officials to easily and quickly confirm compliance with the size limits.
I would like to clarify that the requirement of paragraph 36(2)(d) of the Fishery (General) Regulations to pack fish in such a way that the size can be readily determined is not a new or recent regulation, nor has DFO recently changed its interpretation of that regulation. Any person who catches a fish while commercial fishing must have it packed in a way that allows the species, number, weight and size to be readily determined. This regulation is essential to allow DFO to verify a fisher's catch and properly manage fisheries.
The department and this government recognize the importance of this issue to the prawn industry, especially at a time when international market demand for seafood products has been negatively affected by the COVID pandemic. We are committed to finding a solution to this issue that will support industry's access to local markets. That is why we have been very clear that the conservation and protection enforcement posture this season will be one of awareness and education.
Furthermore, department officials have been meeting with prawn industry representatives on this issue over the past eight weeks. Their most recent meeting was last week. DFO and industry have agreed to convene a working group that would develop and evaluate proposals for addressing this issue as quickly as possible. DFO staff will be working closely and collaboratively with the industry to explore immediate and long-term options to ensure well-managed and sustainable fisheries.