Fisheries committee  For gravel removal operations, as I've indicated, the short answer is yes. The longer answer is that we make assumptions about gravel removal operations. We go to the grounds to see what is actually happening, and then if we have to make an adjustment based on what we see on the grounds, we can make an adjustment.

Fisheries committee  I think the rationale for that is that the gravel accumulation occurs on an ongoing basis, and there's a concern about only harvesting gravel in an off year or in an even year and having to take very substantial quantities in a short time. You'd be effectively doubling up. Right now, we take gravel every year.

Fisheries committee  I'll have to ask whether Jim can respond to that question.

Fisheries committee  Langley covers off down below there, so it's not that far below.

Fisheries committee  The run into the canyon would be an extensive one. It could be 80 kilometres.

Fisheries committee  But it won't just be five officers. That's the point I was raising earlier. We are proposing to transfer in on a temporary basis officers from outside the Fraser to assist those individuals in that section of the river. In addition, we're proposing to augment the operational budget so that we can do overflights, helicopter flights, and so forth, so that we can try to make the 80 kilometres a more manageable size through access to helicopters, overflights, and so forth.

Fisheries committee  It is a challenging area, to be sure. I think the first thing is, the individuals we would propose to transfer in there will be trained fisheries officers—they will have done whitewater training, and so forth. Additionally, the officers who actually live in the area will be the ones who are mostly connected with doing the canyon work, where frankly the water conditions are very challenging for those who have never observed the canyon.

Fisheries committee  I would argue that it was considerable. In terms of action on the ground, I don't have the figures on the number of fishery officers in 2004. Between the lower and the upper river, we had around 57 or 58 fishery officers permanently stationed in the Fraser in 2005. In addition, we transferred a small number of fishery officers on a temporary basis during the summer season to augment the permanent numbers I referred to.

Fisheries committee  Well, you're right that 2006 is going to be a different year from 2005. You're also correct that, God willing, we are predicting a strong return of Fraser River sockeye. We hope to have a strong commercial fishery and a first nations fishery.

Fisheries committee  We are in the process of evaluating a proposed 30% exploitation rate, which a subgroup of commercial fishermen and first nations are recommending to the department. That's under review at this time.

Fisheries committee  In fact, our view is that we should consult on the exploitation rate, and here's why: because there are many different exploitation rates we can apply to Cultus. One is zero--we don't harvest them at all--and one is another level--very high, 50% or higher. From the department's perspective, we believe there is a level that we can't go below, but above that low level it's really up to society to provide advice or actually to come to a consensus on what those kinds of exploitation rates should be.

Fisheries committee  Can I deal with the first observation that you made, Mr. Cummins?

Fisheries committee  It's the perception that there's a linkage between what the Cultus exploitation rate might be in 2006 and the perception that the department was coercing or somehow forcing individuals to accept a higher exploitation rate for recognizing first nations fisheries. It's a false assertion; it is not correct.

Fisheries committee  Fair enough. The policy is flexible enough that we can compensate outside of the immediate location, so there is opportunity within the policy to accommodate much of this. I don't know the specifics, but I have observed the eel grass issue that you've been talking about in Tofino.

Fisheries committee  I don't know the details around that, but I think it's a good question. I'm going to ask if Mr. Wild could respond.