POFO - Standing Committee

Fisheries and Oceans

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37-2 37th Parliament, 2nd Session (September 30, 2002 - November 12, 2003)
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Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on
Fisheries

Issue 4 - Third Report of the Committee

Thursday, March 27, 2003

The Standing Senate Committee on Fisheries and Oceans has the honour to present its

THIRD REPORT

On November 6, 2002, your committee was authorized by the Senate to examine and report from time to time upon the matters relating to straddling stocks and to fish habitat. This is the first report of your committee under this Order of Reference.

On March 17, 2003, the Newfoundland and Labrador All-Party Committee on the 2J3KL and 3Pn4RS Cod Fisheries made public a Position Statement titled Stability, Sustainability and Prosperity: Charting a Future for Northern and Gulf Cod Stocks. That day, the All-Party Committee briefed members of your committee on its Position Statement. On March 25, 2003, your committee heard further testimony from the Government of the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador. As a result of these meetings, your committee endorses the general principles of the Position Statement of the All-Party Committee.

Because stocks of northern (2J3KL) and Gulf (3Pn4RS) cod have been critical components of the modern fishery of Newfoundland and Labrador, your committee is of the view that a closure of those two fisheries would create economic uncertainty and cast a shadow over the future of the Newfoundland and Labrador fishery.

Comprised of representatives of all political parties in the House of Assembly of the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador, members of the House of Commons and all six of the Province's Senators, the All-Party Committee was able to form a unanimous position on the actions necessary to aid the recovery of northern and Gulf cod stocks.

Lastly, your committee notes that assessments indicate that the northern cod stock is at its lowest level in recorded history, and that assessments of other species of Atlantic groundfish show that they continue to be at, or very near, historically low levels.

Your committee therefore recommends that the Government of Canada act immediately to implement a multi-faceted plan to rebuild the northern and Gulf cod stocks based on the All-Party Committee's Action Plan.

Your committee further recommends that, in accordance with Point 4 of the Action Plan, the Government of Canada establish a Prime Minister's Task Force on the Atlantic Ground Fishery to identify the reasons why Atlantic groundfish stocks are not recovering, and to present solutions to ensure stock recovery and conservation.

Respectfully submitted,

GERALD J. COMEAU

Chair