Fisheries committee  Mr. Chair, with the abundance observed over the past two years, where we saw fewer than 15,000 adult fish returning to their spawning grounds in Canada—understanding that our minimum spawning threshold is 42,500, at least at the time, or 30% of minimum spawning requirements—yes, in years like that, every last fish does make a difference.

Fisheries committee  Mr. Chair, a determination around any opportunities for fisheries will be contingent on actual abundance that we observe in season. As far as the forecast for the 2024 season goes, it is extremely poor. We're expecting that perhaps fewer than 20,000 fish may return.

Fisheries committee  Mr. Chair, yes, perhaps without getting into too many nuanced details, the seven-year agreement recently announced was the culmination of a multi-year process undertaken by the Governments of Canada and the United States to establish new conservation objectives, new spawning escapement objectives, for Canadian-origin chinook salmon stocks.

Fisheries committee  Mr. Chair, I'm not familiar with the specific report, but those factors do seem to capture all of the elements to consider.

Fisheries committee  Mr. Chair, the decline of Yukon River chinook salmon has arguably occurred over a 25-year period. As early as 1999, we saw a very significant decline in abundance returning to the upper Yukon River watershed. That was followed by a period, albeit brief, of an improvement in abundance.

Fisheries committee  Mr. Chair, as far as the rate and pace of climate change goes and whether there was awareness that climate was changing through, say, large-scale global influencing factors over the past 30 years, I would answer yes. The rate and pace at which change is being observed in northern environments, in particular the Canadian Arctic, is perhaps far more accelerated than anticipated.

Fisheries committee  As far as negotiations between Canada and Alaska are concerned in regard to the establishment of the seven-year agreement, the Canadian delegation, led by me, received advice and guidance from representatives from each of the respective 11 Yukon self-governing nations, inclusive of, in particular, engagements with Chief Tom directly.

Fisheries committee  Mr. Chair, I'll attempt to respond, and perhaps my colleague, Mr. Shoemaker, may be able to add something. With respect to specialization or any information I can provide on Atlantic salmon, I can confirm that at no time in recorded history have Atlantic salmon been documented either in the north Pacific, to the extent where Yukon or Alsek River origin Pacific salmon stocks would occur, or, likewise, in the Yukon River watershed or adjacent marine areas.

Fisheries committee  Mr. Chair, as far as other factors beyond groundfish fisheries and bycatch in groundfish fisheries are concerned, as I mentioned previously, there are no directed fisheries for Pacific salmon in the Bering Sea beyond nearshore fisheries that occur, in the case of the Yukon River salmon stocks, at the mouth of the Yukon River; and they are documented and enumerated as part of what we'll call broader U.S. or Alaskan catch.

Fisheries committee  Mr. Chair, I'll begin, and perhaps Mr. Shoemaker can add to my response. I'll answer it twofold. The seven-year agreement recently signed by Canada and the State of Alaska refers to two potential sources of funding. The first is U.S. funding leveraged through the State of Alaska, which is very relevant to Canada, because the intent of that funding is to be directed towards the conservation and rebuilding of Canadian-origin salmon stocks.

Fisheries committee  There have been several investments over the past three years in the areas of monitoring, research and restoration, focusing on Canadian-origin salmon stocks in the Yukon River watershed. A better part of a million dollars has been directed specifically towards first nation government organizations that have undertaken enhanced monitoring by observing the number of adult fish returning to spawning grounds and undertaking some habitat assessment studies to identify potential areas for restoration works in the near future.

Fisheries committee  Mr. Chair, I'll begin by responding that bycatch in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands commercial fisheries is identified through a highly regulated monitoring program that's administered through state and federal agencies in Alaska. The specific requirements of all vessels fishing groundfish, which are also described as pollock or cod in the Bering Sea, is that each vessel must have at least one independent observer who documents catch that's brought on board vessels that are actively participating in fishing activities.

Fisheries committee  Mr. Chair, the marine areas that are primarily inhabited by Canadian-origin Yukon River salmon stocks are in fact U.S. exclusive economic zone waters. The vast majority of marine habitats inhabited by Yukon River salmon, and arguably Alsek River salmon stocks as well, are directly regulated and controlled by the State of Alaska or U.S. federal agencies.

Fisheries committee  I see. Mr. Chair, one of the specific measures that Fisheries and Oceans Canada has been involved in is undertaking negotiations with state and federal agencies around minimizing and, where possible, avoiding bycatch of Canadian-origin salmon stocks in U.S. groundfish fisheries in the north Pacific, as well as the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands fishery areas.

Fisheries committee  Mr. Chair, on an annual basis, the percentage of total abundance, in particular of Canadian-origin Yukon River chinook salmon, that are caught in biomass in U.S. marine fisheries is between approximately 1% and 3%. That is representative, in a rough number, of approximately 500 to 750 individual salmon.