Fisheries committee  We've stabilized the funding for the salmon enhancement program, but what we don't have stabilized is the environment we're working in. We have a wild salmon policy that we'd like to complement by the work of the salmon enhancement program. We have to re-evaluate how that program will run into the future, because when we established these hatcheries, it was a different environment, and we had different marine survival, etc.

Fisheries committee  On the 2007 quota—and we have the same quota in 2008, by the way—we estimate there was a minor overrun of a few hundred tonnes by the EU. That's an estimate. Their reports, of course, are not confirming that. We are looking at much better compliance in 2008 than we've seen in the last number of years, so compliance has been improving steadily, and 2007 was a modest overrun.

Fisheries committee  I think in the southern range of the salmons, particularly sockeye, chinook, and, to a certain extent, coho, we're seeing some problems develop. In those areas, however, chum and pink are doing quite well, so there may be some other opportunities for some commercial fishing on other species.

Fisheries committee  No, but I think it's important to recognize that there are a large number of gillnetters. If you add up the total legal number of nets, they would stretch hundreds of nautical miles. That's the fishing power on one side. We have only a few seiners on the other side, and they have a quota that they are unable to catch, due to the restrictions placed on them.

Fisheries committee  The Fisheries Act is a powerful tool as regards the fish habitat and actions to protect fish. We obviously like to work collaboratively with companies, and it's not just salmon but it's also American eel and other species that are of great concern. And mortalities in the turbines, etc., are a significant issue.

Fisheries committee  We are doing that. It's really a complex issue. If you look at the Bay of Fundy alone, that's certainly a significant issue, but across both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts we have seen marked declines in survival at sea. In the Pacific there's been collaborative work with the Japanese and other nations that share that ecosystem with us focusing on oceanographic conditions and the impacts on salmon.

Fisheries committee  Those are under way.

Fisheries committee  We have to have obvious discussions with first nations relevant to food, social, and ceremonial. The projections for this year have already been made public through our forecasts for 2008. The specifics on how to manage the fishery are part of the ongoing discussions that lead up to the integrated fish management plans that are announced later in the spring, and then of course we have to see what actually comes back, but the projections certainly aren't for good runs.

Fisheries committee  They're obviously under the Pacific Salmon Treaty. That would have a bearing on their catches as well. If we don't get any, they are not going to be in a position to take fish not caught by Canadians under the Pacific Salmon Treaty.

Fisheries committee  Yes, it would be subject to judicial review of the decision relevant to the considerations that the minister is obligated under the law to take into consideration.

Fisheries committee  That's a matter between the various companies.

Fisheries committee  There was 1,900 tonnes of 0B turbot, which was the bulk of it. Most of the other fish went to Clearwater Fine Foods, approximately 1,600 tonnes. The rest went to a Newfoundland company. It would be apparent that most of the groundfish quotas held by the Barry Group are being eliminated and transferred to other companies.

Fisheries committee  No, I can't. I don't know that answer. The minister is not aware of that either.

Fisheries committee  The practice on enterprise allocations, as we have had for the last 30 years, is that we would evaluate the request to transfer the quota from one company to another based on the policies that are administered by the department and approved by the minister. Those policies are that the company receiving the quota has to be qualified to do so and to fish it.

Fisheries committee  I think I'll have to leave that to our minister to respond. Certainly Bill C-32 is now drafted in a way that the minister, if the bill is passed in its current form, must consider adjacency, historical attachment, etc. The same concerns have been expressed by the ministers from Nunavut as well, so those concerns have been expressed and they will be responded to by the minister.