Keith Martin questions the Fisheries Minister…
Tonight, during Committee of the Whole, Keith posed a number of questions to the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans on the state of our fisheries and coast guard on the West Coast. Below is the transcript of that debate.
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Hon. Keith Martin (Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca, Lib.):
Madam Chair, I will be splitting half of my time with the excellent member for Humber—St. Barbe—Baie Verte.
I thank the minister for being here. Three search and rescue needs analysis by DFO recommended clearly that Victoria must have a permanent search and rescue vessel. That does not exist. There is 47 footer in Saanich. Will the minister authorize that 47 footer to be in Victoria so Victoria has a permanent SAR capability?
Hon. Gail Shea (Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, CPC):
Madam Chair, with our Coast Guard vessels, we have a vast territory to cover and we cannot be everywhere. However, we are quite happy that we are acquiring a number of new vessels through our economic action plan.
I will take the hon. member’s concerns into consideration.
Hon. Keith Martin:
Madam Chair, this is a matter of life and death. Three search and rescue needs analyses from her department have recommended that this occur. I want to impress upon her that this must happen. Victoria has the second busiest straits in the world around it and it is a matter of life and death.
How many fisheries officers are doing enforcement in South Vancouver Island?
Hon. Gail Shea:
Madam Chair, I do not have that level of detail with me this evening, but I did say to the last questioner that there were 176 conservation protection officers on the job in British Columbia.
Hon. Keith Martin:
Madam Chair, I hope we will receive that specific answer soon.
Our fish hatcheries are starved for cash. They are essential for our fisheries. Will the minister tell us what increases she will give to our fish hatcheries on Vancouver Island?
Hon. Gail Shea:
Madam Chair, our economic action plan allowed for upgrades of several hatcheries in the British Columbia area. We will be spending $8 million to upgrade hatcheries. On an annual basis, we provide $26 million for a salmon enhancement program in British Columbia.
Hon. Keith Martin:
Madam Chair, will any of those moneys go to the Goldstream Hatchery?
Hon. Gail Shea:
Madam Chair, I do not have a list of the specific hatcheries with me tonight, but 33 hatcheries will see upgrades.
Hon. Keith Martin:
Madam Chair, the west coast halibut recreational fishery is in disarray. Will the minister allow for a west coast-South Vancouver Island recreational halibut fishery from February to December?
Hon. Gail Shea:
Madam Chair, we fish recreational halibut and commercial halibut against a set quota. We do that by consultation with the industry.
Hon. Keith Martin:
Madam Chair, the early closures are causing a serious problem for South Vancouver Island. Will she at least be able to provide recreational halibut fishers with a 1.5 million pound floor on the west coast of Canada?
Hon. Gail Shea:
Madam Chair, as I said to the earlier questioner, the reason why we are having this problem is because there is an overall reduction in the total allowable catch. Both groups, the commercial and the recreational, are taking a 15% reduction. The quota has been set at 88/12, and we are sticking with that quota. We are working with both sectors to try to come to some sort of solution so they can both realize their full potentials through the fishery.
Hon. Keith Martin:
Madam Chair, is it not true that Canada took a greater decrease in the total allowable catch than the United States in the west coast halibut fishery?
Hon. Gail Shea:
Madam Chair, the quota is set through negotiations and I believe both countries have the same quota.
Hon. Keith Martin:
Madam Chair, will the minister make a commitment right now to stop the damaging practice of short notice, late season openings and early season closures, which is so damaging to the recreational fisheries on the west coast?
Hon. Gail Shea:
Madam Chair, I know our staff is working with the recreational sector in British Columbia to discuss what the best possible opening date is to benefit its businesses. They have tourists who come in to take advantage of the halibut fishery. We do work with the recreational sector to set those dates.
Hon. Keith Martin:
Madam Chair, will the minister affirm to the House that Canada’s fisheries are a common property right belonging to all the peoples of Canada?
Hon. Gail Shea:
Yes, Madam Speaker, that they are.
Hon. Keith Martin:
Madam Chair, there is currently a proposal for mega marina in Victoria. The studies that have been done on the impact on fisheries shows it has been absolutely appalling. This will be an environmental disaster.
Will the minister assure the House that studies will be done and released publicly, which are adequate and essential on this project?
Hon. Gail Shea:
Madam Chair, I would expect that any such project would be subject to all the environmental impact assessments that would be required.
Hon. Keith Martin:
Madam Chair, will the minister authorize a halibut tag system, the moneys of which can be used to buy up commercial space within the halibut fishery on the west coast?
Hon. Gail Shea:
Madam Chair, I believe this is one issue on which we have had some discussion with the recreational sector, trying to find a solution on how to best share the resource between the commercial and the recreational fisheries in B.C.
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