The House of Commons Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans met to continue its study on the attribution of redfish quotas and exploratory lobster fishing licences. Witnesses appearing were Camille Gagné, a captain-owner-operator; Jean Lanteigne, General Director of the Fédération régionale acadienne des pêcheurs professionnels; Carey Bonnell, Vice-President of Sustainability and Engagement at Ocean Choice International; Guy Gallant, a fish harvester; Claudio Bernatchez, Director General of the Coopérative des Capitaines Propriétaires de la Gaspésie; and Jean-René Boucher, General Manager of the Regroupement des pêcheurs professionnels du Nord de la Gaspésie.
Camille Gagné described how she acquired fishing licences and a vessel in 2020, only to see crab quotas drop and herring and mackerel fisheries close without notice, leaving her in debt. She said that when DFO allocated exploratory lobster licences in 2025, she was disqualified multiple times, including because her 2023 fishing under an indigenous flag was not recognized, while the process made millionaires richer and left younger harvesters struggling. She recommended that DFO use its data on licence and vessel transactions to identify truly struggling fishers rather than relying solely on fleet-level criteria.
Jean Lanteigne stated that the 10% redfish quota allocated to shrimpers in New Brunswick, Quebec and Newfoundland is insufficient to develop a viable business plan, as a single trip costs $50,000 to $60,000 while the catch is worth only $20,000. He noted that only 3,000 of 60,000 tonnes were caught in 2024, and that the issue is quota distribution, not resource availability. He recommended redistributing fleet allocations based on shrimp fleet viability, giving each harvester enough quota for a business plan, renewing the Atlantic fisheries fund for vessel and plant modifications, providing targeted marketing support, and holding an Atlantic forum. He disagreed with Carey Bonnell, arguing that the allocation problem is central.
Carey Bonnell explained that Ocean Choice International lost 20% of its historical redfish share in the 2024 allocation, and that the unit 1 redfish have stalled at 23-24 centimetres since 2021, with biomass declining from 4.2 million tonnes to 1.7 million tonnes. He said that only 3,200 tonnes of the 60,000-tonne quota were caught last year due to market challenges from the small fish size, not allocation issues, and that stable, historical quota access is essential for long-term investment. He disagreed with Jean Lanteigne, stating that the problem is market-driven, not a resource allocation issue.
Guy Gallant said that he and his father, who fished redfish for decades, were excluded from pre-opening discussions and received only 74 tonnes of quota, which is unviable given the investment of over a million dollars to refit their vessel. He argued that the allocation was misappropriated and that the hype from 2018 about the redfish fishery did not match the reality of low prices and insufficient quota. He noted that redfish at their current size are ideal for bait, with lobster fishers paying 90¢ per pound for the same fish he sells for 25-27¢.
Claudio Bernatchez said that several of his members received exploratory lobster licences, which saved their businesses, and that catches have been at an all-time high. He suggested that the industry and DFO should agree on principles for allocating new quotas and licences, such as fairness, helping struggling fleets, and maximizing benefits for coastal communities, and that support measures should be flexible to respond to changing conditions. He proposed that future allocations should consider whether resources are being used in the best possible way, and that transfers of licences or quotas could be part of a broader discussion.
Jean-René Boucher said that the exploratory lobster licences were a timely lifeline for turbot fishers in zone 19, whose stocks collapsed from a TAC of 4,500 tonnes to 290 tonnes. He noted that DFO listened to industry suggestions, such as issuing 100-pot licences instead of 250-pot licences and rolling out the licences in three phases. He raised the question of whether these licences should be non-transferable, so that when a fisher retires, DFO could reallocate them to struggling fleets or new entrants, rather than allowing them to gain commercial value.
The committee heard questions from members about the influence of foreign-funded ENGOs on fisheries management, with several witnesses expressing concern. Carey Bonnell said that groups like Oceana Canada have taken extreme positions and been challenging to deal with. Jean Lanteigne said that ENGO pressure led to protecting redfish at the expense of the shrimp fishery, ruining one fishery without creating a profitable one. Guy Gallant said that ENGOs have too much influence and that fisheries should be based on science. Claudio Bernatchez questioned why a third entity is needed in discussions, and Jean-René Boucher said it is difficult to measure their influence but they have been present on advisory committees for about five years.
AI-generated summary — may contain errors; verify against the official evidence.