Fisheries committee  With due respect, Ms. May, we released last year a couple of different studies that had 57 peer-reviewed reports, I think it was, that said exactly the opposite of what you're saying. One of the folks who you quote on an ongoing basis is in the Royal Society of Canada report. The fellow who chaired that is a DFO scientist—

Fisheries committee  Well, again, I would rely on the science with respect to dilbit. With respect to ensuring that we actually are in a position to clean up spills, we have made enormous investments through the oceans protection plan to ensure that's the case. Obviously, the most sensitive area with respect to the west coast is within the Burrard Inlet itself, and certainly there are enormous resources that are going into ensuring that we can respond to any kind of spill, whether it's diluted bitumen or the bunker C that is in the 3,200 container ships and cruise ships that come into the harbour every year.

Fisheries committee  I made a few statements on this subject a few weeks ago on the B.C. coast. We will be moving toward a more fulsome implementation of the precautionary principle. We will be looking at moving towards area-based management on a go-forward basis, and we are working with the provinces actively to ensure that our efforts are aligned.

Fisheries committee  Absolutely.

Fisheries committee  Certainly, if you want to bring forward science, that would be considered. We're always open to new science. We have made a commitment, as part of the review we are doing with various stakeholders, including fishers, that the review of the pinnipeds and the impact they have, with respect to science, is definitely part of that process.

Fisheries committee  Yes. We have certainly heard the different perspectives from various groups on the west coast. We look forward to understanding the views of various stakeholders through the work of this committee. The department will support the committee by providing research and summarizing factual information about socio-economic aspects of licensing and fisheries management.

Fisheries committee  It's certainly possible. We have not fully made the decision about which hatcheries. Certainly, the main criteria will be which ones will have the greatest impact on providing available prey for the southern resident killer whales.

Fisheries committee  That's a statistical fact, if you would let me finish. If you actually look at the science that's been done on pinnipeds, particularly on the west coast, it will tell you that less than 10% of their diet is salmon. That being said—

Fisheries committee  That being said—

Fisheries committee  Small craft harbours are obviously critical for many coastal communities. That is precisely why in budget 2018 we announced another $250 million to be focused on small craft harbour projects. Part of it, as you know, relates to divestitures with respect to non-core harbours. Maybe I can turn to Sylvie here.

Fisheries committee  Aquatic invasive species are obviously important for most, if not all, provinces in Canada. It's certainly important in British Columbia. It's important in Alberta and Saskatchewan and Manitoba. It's important all across eastern Canada and central Canada. In 2017-18 we announced $43.8 million for work on invasive species, plus a little more than $10 million for AIS management.

Fisheries committee  Let me just correct one thing. I didn't say that the populations of pinnipeds haven't been increasing. They have been increasing. That's a statistical fact—

Fisheries committee  We're looking at all ways to increase the number of chinook, whether by reducing the take from recreational commercial fisheries or through hatcheries and investments in habitat. We're also looking at pinnipeds and whether they represent a significant issue. The science to date would suggest they're not as big an issue as many think, but there is more science being done.

Fisheries committee  I think it gets back to one of the questions we had earlier around enforcement. It's important that we have rules, and it's important that we have rules that are respected. We are enhancing our enforcement capacity across the country—from coast to coast to coast—to ensure that we can address any issues that might arise with respect to unreported catch.

Fisheries committee  The Atlantic salmon is an iconic species. It's very important. Clearly, some of the things we have been seeing are cause for significant concern. The department has been doing quite a lot to try to address some of the issues that have arisen. Maybe I can ask the parliamentary secretary to talk a little bit about the International Year of the Salmon and some of the things you've been working on.