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Business of Supply November 24th, 2020
Mr. Chair, our government is committed to upholding the independence of scientific work and ensuring that decisions are made on the best available science. That is why under this government DFO worked with Canada's chief science adviser to develop and adopt the scientific integrity policies. DFO is a science-based department and high-quality, impartial science is integral to DFO's work.
Business of Supply November 24th, 2020
Mr. Chair, it is extremely important for us to make sure the new Fisheries Act is fully operational.
We have put a number of rebuilding plans in place already. There is more to be done. Some of the ones that needed a rebuilding plan are now out of the critical zone. We are continuing to do that work. There have already been six rebuilding plans done out of 18. We know there is more to do. There are some coming in the very near future and we are going to continue to work to make sure we are addressing those rebuilding plans.
Business of Supply November 24th, 2020
Mr. Chair, as I have said a number of times tonight, the steep declines we have seen in wild Pacific salmon are extremely alarming. We are looking at a number of different measures to put in place to make sure that we are addressing those concerns and that we are building abundance. As I said earlier, it is not just about conserving. It is about growing. That has to be critical as we move forward. I will continue to work with stakeholders, communities and fishers to make sure we are finding the right ways forward with regard to wild Pacific salmon.
I have learned a great deal about Pacific salmon since taking on this role. I know it is a huge part of the cultural identity of British Columbia, and we need to do everything we can to protect it and conserve it.
Business of Supply November 24th, 2020
Mr. Chair, it is extremely important that communities feel like they are part of the engagement process. That is something we have seen in British Columbia particularly: how engaged the local communities are with regard to habitat restoration. We have seen that through the B.C. SRIF program.
We will continue to work to make sure that we are addressing the concerns around communities that are impacted by the decline of the salmon stocks. I know first-hand how important it is to hear from communities, and I will endeavour to make sure those communities are heard.
Business of Supply November 24th, 2020
Mr. Chair, under the modernized Fisheries Act, it is imperative for us to have rebuilding plans in place for stocks. We are diligently working on those now, especially for critical stocks that are under threat. We have initiated a number of rebuilding plans. There is more to be done, but we are going to continue this extremely important work.
For me, this is not about conserving a species; it is about growing it. We need to have abundance in our fisheries, and that is one of the things I am committed to.
Business of Supply November 24th, 2020
Mr. Chair, as I have said, right now we are engaging in the consultations. This will take a bit of time. I do not have a firm timeline in front of me right now, but we know it is important to make sure we hear from a number of stakeholders on this issue—
Business of Supply November 24th, 2020
Mr. Chair, as I have said, this is a very important report. We are actually engaging right now on a number of the recommendations to make sure we are well informed, as we go forward, to make the decisions. We have contracted an analysis to be done between Atlantic and Pacific commercial fishing policies and regulations. We know how important this is to our coastal communities in British Columbia, and that is why we are taking the time to make sure we do the consultations necessary to get it right.
Business of Supply November 24th, 2020
Mr. Chair, I want to thank the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans for this report. This was an extremely important report with regard to west coast licensing. We are working to engage stakeholders in British Columbia to identify priority fisheries management and licensing concerns. I do not have the list in front of me with regard to who is being consulted, but I can follow up with the member directly to make sure he has that.
We need to inform ongoing west coast licensing review. We have actually contracted a comparative analysis of Atlantic and Pacific commercial fishing policies and regulations and we have initiated a review of the existing foreign ownership restrictions as well. We know that there is a lot of work to be done. We do appreciate the hard work of the committee in bringing this forward.
Business of Supply November 24th, 2020
Mr. Chair, absolutely, we are committed to making sure we protect this iconic species. We are taking a number of measures to address the concerns that we hear with regard to the southern resident killer whales. We are going to continue to work with stakeholders and environmental organizations to make sure that we are addressing concerns.
This is an iconic species that nobody wants to become extinct. We are going to do everything we can to make sure that we protect it.
Business of Supply November 24th, 2020
Mr. Chair, first of all, I would like to clarify for my hon. colleague that we actually have contracted for the Big Bar ladder. That is the natural fish passageway. I want to clarify that it has been contracted. We are working on that. We know it is an important part of making sure the salmon are able to traverse the river.
With regard to the Discovery Islands, protecting the wild Pacific salmon is a priority for us, and we recognize the first nations' historic cultural connection to wild salmon. Our government manages risk from sea lice using a science-based adaptive management approach. This spring, in consultation with our partners, my department revised the licences of marine aquaculture finfish operators in British Columbia to increase the enforceability of licence conditions pertaining to the management of sea lice. That is a step we are taking to address the concerns around sea lice.
With regard to the Discovery Islands specifically and the Cohen Commission, one of the things we heard loud and clear from the first nations in those areas was that we could not make a unilateral decision on the fish farms. They are in their territorial waters, and they wanted to have a say. They knew it was important we make the decision, but they wanted to make sure they were—