Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present a petition on behalf of fishers and anglers across British Columbia.
The petitioners are calling on the Minister of Fisheries to manage the exploding population of invasive predatory pinnipeds and its impact on valuable and vulnerable salmon stocks. The invasive species of California and Steller sea lions consume more salmon than the commercial and recreational fishing industries combined. The petitioners call on the government to work with local communities and first nations to implement a pinniped management program to protect our salmon stocks, which are important to first nations and commercial and recreational fishers, as well as to our southern resident killer whales.
I am pleased to present this petition, and I urge the minister to act immediately.