Business of Supply  Madam Chair, DFO employs more than 2,000 scientists who research and monitor our oceans. Under the previous government, significant cuts were made to DFO science. We have reinvested to make sure we are making our decisions based on science. We have invested in over 300 new scienc

Business of Supply  Madam Chair, in speaking with the sport fishers in B.C. as well as with environmental organizations, I agree how the MSF can offer potential benefits for fisheries, and I tend to agree with them. However, it is incumbent on me, as the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, to balance

Business of Supply  Madam Chair, as I have said, I am not adverse to mark-selective fisheries. We just need to make sure that, as we go forward, we are doing it in the right way to make sure that we are protecting the chinook salmon. These measures are difficult. We know the anglers want a more rob

Business of Supply  Madam Chair, it was our government that actually enshrined owner-operator in legislation. It was our government that put owner-operator in the Fisheries Act as legislation. This is something we are committed to, and we will continue to be committed to it. Regulations are ongoing

Business of Supply  Madam Chair, our government acknowledges that it has been a real challenge for B.C. with regard to Pacific salmon fishery participants, including the anglers. Conservation-based fishery management measures continue. We need to make sure that we are looking forward to future years

Business of Supply  Madam Chair, the at-risk Fraser River chinook salmon stocks face a number of significant challenges. Their road to recovery requires a long-term view and close collaboration with first nations, as well as with all stakeholders in the province. We have made significant managemen

Business of Supply  Madam Chair, as I have said a number of times tonight, the mark selective fishery is one possible option that can be explored in terms of fish retention, while reducing impacts on wild salmon. I am not adverse to a mark selective fishery. I want to make sure that as we go forward

Business of Supply  Madam Chair, there are valid concerns that need to be thoroughly understood. For instance, the mark-selective fisheries will still encounter wild chinook. We need to make sure that the mortality of stocks of concern are accounted for as we move forward with an MSF, so that they d

Business of Supply  Madam Chair, no.

Business of Supply  Madam Chair, our government welcomes a collaboration between industry and first nations to grow our Canadian seafood industry. This project represents a positive step in building strong partnerships between indigenous communities and the commercial seafood sector. We are continui

Business of Supply  Madam Chair, I am quite glad my hon. colleague brought up the Fisheries Act and the modernization of the Fisheries Act. Of course, that had to be done because the previous government, of which he was a member, absolutely gutted the Fisheries Act. It took away protection for fish

Business of Supply  Madam Chair, as I said, the previous government actually gutted the Fisheries Act. It was our government that put provisions back in place to make sure that we addressed owner-operator, and to make sure that we addressed the protection of fish and fish habitat for the long-term s

Business of Supply  Madam Chair, the fish harvester benefit and grant program delivered financial support that was much needed in our commercial fisheries. We recognized early on that with the measures we put in place as a government, they did not qualify because of the way that their enterprises we

Business of Supply  Madam Chair, since day one I have said that conservation is going to be our number one priority when it comes to the moderate livelihood fishery and Atlantic Canada. This is a goal we share with first nations as well as with commercial harvesters. I am never going to do anything

Business of Supply  Madam Chair, we are currently negotiating with first nations to implement their fishing plans. As I have said many times, we do not negotiate in public. I cannot prejudge what the outcome of those negotiations will be. We are working with first nations to make sure that we implem