moved for leave to introduce Bill C-297, An Act to amend the Fisheries Act (selective fishing programs).
Madam Speaker, it is an honour to introduce my private member's bill, the selective fisheries bill, which would provide more opportunities for public selective fisheries in my riding of Chilliwack—Hope and across the country.
Vulnerable salmon stocks need to be protected and conservation is the number one priority, but it is possible to protect certain species of salmon with low numbers and allow public selective fisheries for plentiful species at the same time.
My bill, through an amendment to the Fisheries Act, gives the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard the power to do just that. The bill also allows the minister to increase the number of hatchery-raised salmon that have their adipose fins clipped, which would allow them to be easily identified and retained as hatchery fish during public fishery openings.
I am asking all members of Parliament to support my bill and support responsible selective fishing opportunities in Canada.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)