Minutes of the virtual meeting held on July 10, 2019

Attendees

ORGANIZATION	REPRESENTATIVES	PRESENT	ABSENT
INDUSTRY
INTERSECTORAL ASSOCIATIONS
Alliance des pêcheurs professionnels du Québec (APPQ)	O’Neil Cloutier	X
Fédération des pêcheurs semi-hauturiers du Québec (FPSHQ)	Réginald Cotton		X
Gaspé–Lower St. Lawrence Area
Regroupement des pécheurs professionnels du Sud de la Gaspésie (RPPSG)	O’Neil Cloutier	X
Regroupement des pêcheurs professionnels du Nord de la Gaspésie (RPPNG)	Mario Dupuis / Jean-René Boucher		X
Association des capitaines-propriétaires de la Gaspésie (ACPG)	Vincent Dupuis	X
Association des morutiers traditionnels de la Gaspésie (AMTG)	Marc Diotte / Michel Syvrais		X
Association des crabiers gaspésiens	Daniel Desbois		X
Association des pêcheurs de crabe de la zone 17 (APCZ17)	René Landry		X
Magdalen Islands Area
Association des pêcheurs propriétaires des Îles-de-la-Madeleine (APPIM)	Mario Déraspe	X
Regroupement des palangriers et pétoncliers uniques madelinots (RPPUM)	Pierre Chevrier		X
Regroupement des pêcheurs professionnels des Îles-de-la-Madeleine (RPPIM)	Marcel Cormier / Jocelyn Thériault		X
Groupe de pêcheurs de la zone F inc. (GPZF)	Bruno-Pierre Bourque		X
Rassemblement des pêcheurs et pêcheuses des côtes des Îles (RPPCÎ)	Charles Poirier		X
North Shore Area
Association des pêcheurs de la Basse Côte-Nord (APBCN)	Paul Nadeau		X
Regroupement des pêcheurs professionnels de la Haute et Moyenne Côte-Nord (RPPHMCN)	Clovis Poirier		X
Comité de cogestion de la zone 16 inc. (CCZ16)	Serge Poirier	X
INDIGENOUS ORGANIZATIONS
Wolastoqiyik (Maliseet) Wahsipekuk First Nation	Pierre Jenniss		X
Council of the Innu of Pakua Shipi	Gervais Mallek		X
Community of Ekuanitshit	Guy Vigneault		X
Innu Takuaikan Uashat mak Mani-Utenam	Yan Tremblay		X
Council of the Innus of Pessamit	Majoric Pinette		X
Micmacs of Gesgapegiag	Tara Two-Axe		X
Micmac Nation of Gespeg	Johanne Basque		X
Council of the Innu of Nutashkuan	Pierre Wapistan		X
Council of the Innu of Unamen Shipu	Alexi Lalo		X
Listuguj Mi’gmaq First Natio	Denny Isaac		X
Council of the Innu First Nation of Essipit	Pierre Léonard		X
Observers
Mi’kmaq Maliseet Aboriginal Fisheries Management Association (MMAFMA)	Emmanuel Sandt-Duguay		X
Agence Mamu Innu Kaikusshet (AMIK)	Serge Langelier	X
Mi'gmawei Mawiomi Secretariat	Emmanuel Sandt-Duguay		X
HARBOUR AUTHORITIES
Port Authority Representative	Pierre Léonard		X
DFO
Permanent members
Regional Director General	Patrick Vincent		X
Regional Director, Fisheries Management Branch	Maryse Lemire	X
Area Director interim – Gaspé-Lower St. Lawrence	Caroline Leclerc	X
Area Director – North Shore	Andrew Rowsell		X
Area Director – Magdalen Islands	Cédric Arseneau	X
Regional Manager - Strategic Services	Évelyne Dufault	X
Casual members (as needed, depending on the items discussed)
Regional Director, Small Craft Harbours	Bernard Beaudoin		X
Regional Director, Science	Yves De la Fontaine		X
Regional Director, Ecosystems Management Branch	Nicole Bouchard		X
Presenters
	Érik Arsenault	X
	Susanne Mark	X
	Rodolph Balej (MELCC)	X
	Isabel Calderon	X
	Jean-Michel Poulin	X
	Éric LeBel (Parks Canada)	X
	Jacinthe Beauchamp	X
DFO Observers
	André Drapeau	X
	Élaine Bouchard	X
	Pascale Fortin	X
	Audrey Pilon	X
MAPAQ
Permanent member	Denis Desrosiers	X
Casual member (as needed, depending on the items discussed)	Rabia Sow	X

Topics 

Call to order (Maryse Lemire)

Ms. Lemire welcomed all participants. She explained that the conduct of the teleconference would be slightly different than in previous years. For instance, she mentioned that, given the large number of participants, the services of a mediator would be required to manage the teleconference more effectively. She added that simultaneous interpretation was now also required because of the participation of English-speaking representatives.

Ms. Lemire went on to present the agenda and specified that the proposed topics for the December 2019 Liaison Committee meeting would be addressed under Other Business. She asked if there were any items to be added to the agenda.

A suggestion was made to discuss the U.S. request for Canada to submit a report on the protection of marine mammals, more specifically, to determine who was responsible for producing this report, which stakeholders would be involved and whether industry would take part in the preparation of the report. Ms. Lemire responded that the presentation under item 4 – Follow-up on the Marine Mammal Protection Act should answer these questions and that clarifications could be sought during the scheduled question period.

Additional items could still be included under Other Business.

Follow-up on action items (Maryse Lemire)

Ms. Lemire mentioned that in the follow-up to the action items resulting from the last meetings, most of the information had been provided, with the exception of the information on the regulatory proposal on coastal fisheries. She explained that the proposed amendments incorporating elements of coastal fisheries policies into the regulations were published in Part I of the Canada Gazette and that the deadline for submitting comments was August 5. To facilitate follow-up, she mentioned that an email with a hyperlink to the proposed regulatory amendments in Part I of the Canada Gazette would be sent to the Liaison Committee members. Ms. Lemire indicated that there was no further follow-up.

Regional Guidance for ITQ Program Management (Érik Arsenault)

Mr. Arsenault gave his presentation on the ITQ program – Simplification of Administrative Guidelines. He specified that the elements in red in the presentation had been updated from the December 2018 presentation. He subsequently presented the background, objectives, methods, action items and next steps of the process.

Follow-up – Marine Mammal Protection Act (Jean-Michel Poulin)

Mr. Poulin presented the various updates to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). He referred in particular to the workshops held with industry on December 5, 2018, and March 27, 2019, and to the consultations on the fishery summaries. The final versions of the fishery summaries had been sent to industry by email. He added that these documents would be used to prepare a progress report to be submitted to the U.S. government on July 31, 2019. He also reviewed the work schedule and upcoming activities. Mr. Poulin specified that the work would continue during the fall after the submission of the progress report.

Electronic logbooks – 2019–2020 Priorities (Isabel Calderon)

Ms. Calderon gave a presentation on electronic logbooks. She provided an overview of the 2018–2019 implementation plan, reviewed the fleet selection criteria and presented the new fleets that would have access to the optional electronic logbook in 2020. She specified that, by late July, DFO would assess the possibility of adding certain trap fishery fleets. She reiterated that the strategy for implementing electronic logbooks generally takes two years: a first year in which the logbook is optional and a second year in which it becomes mandatory. She mentioned that a communication would be made to industry to inform them of the situation. She added that training sessions on technological skills would be available in the fall and winter to assist with the implementation of electronic logbooks.

Questions and comments on the presentations in items 3, 4 and 5 (Maryse Lemire)

Ms. Lemire asked whether there were any questions or comments about the presentations on the Regional Guidance for ITQ Program Management, the MMPA or electronic logbooks.

One question was asked as to how DFO-Quebec Region was involved in preparing the report on marine mammal protection measures and how industry would be involved in the process. Ms. Lemire replied that the report in question was the progress report to be submitted as part of the MMPA process. She added that, following the mortalities observed in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, the Government of Canada had received correspondence from the NOAA expressing their concerns and requesting a meeting. Ms. Lemire indicated that this meeting was expected to take place in the coming weeks. She added that DFO and Transport Canada had reviewed the events of the previous few weeks. Transport Canada had issued a press release on July 8 explaining the implementation of additional protection measures for the North Atlantic Right Whale regarding marine transportation and fisheries management. Ms. Lemire mentioned that the press release was available on Transport Canada’s website.

Ms. Lemire noted that the progress report concerned the MMPA process for which workshops had been held with industry and for which Mr. Poulin had forwarded final versions of the fishery summaries to the members of the Liaison Committee the week before. She explained that it was the information contained in those documents that would be used to prepare the progress report to be provided to the U.S. government. She added that the process did not concern only North Atlantic Right Whales, but all marine mammals.

Follow-up on marine conservation projects (Susanne Mark, Rodolph Balej, Éric LeBel)

Ms. Mark, Mr. Balej and Ms. Beauchamp presented a summary of the information provided at the June 19 information session about the Canada-Quebec collaboration on the joint projects for marine protected areas under study and the next steps. Mr. Balej stated that the session also provided an opportunity to gather feedback on the various projects. Ms. Mark, Mr. Balej and Ms. Beauchamp presented the background, the projects under study (northern Gulf of St. Lawrence and St. Lawrence Estuary) and the next steps. Discussions with the Indigenous groups and stakeholders involved regarding the conservation measures would be planned in fall 2019 for the northern Gulf project and in 2020 for the Estuary project. The consultations themselves would likely take place in early 2020 for the northern Gulf project and in late 2020 for the Estuary project, depending on the progress of the work and discussions.

Mr. LeBel provided background on the feasibility study for a marine protected area in the Magdalen Islands as part of the Canada-Quebec agreement to establish marine protected areas in Quebec. He mentioned that this project is in its early stages and that there would be separate information, collaboration and consultation processes. He specified that the first meetings with the sectors involved would take place in fall 2019.

Ms. Lemire asked whether there were any questions or comments on the presentation. No questions or comments.

Other Business/Conclusion – Suggestions for topics for the next Liaison Committee (Maryse Lemire)

Ms. Lemire asked whether there were any topic proposals for the December 2019 Liaison Committee. Industry made no proposals. She mentioned that an email would be sent to Committee members to request their topic proposals.

Ms. Lemire mentioned that a sub-committee to the Liaison Committee would continue to work on the aspects related to the regional guidance and other matters for discussion. She noted that if members wished to participate in the work of the Liaison sub-committee, they could inform their respective Area Director or contact Mr. Arsenault.

Ms. Lemire thanked the participants for attending and informed them that the minutes would be sent to them in the coming weeks.

Follow-up on the action items of the Liaison Committee meeting on December 5 and 6, 2018

Follow-up on action items

• Send the analysis of the impact of fishing gear on seabeds to Liaison Committee members.
• Lead: Maryse Lemire
• Status: Document sent in the email dated February 22, 2019.

Update – Consultations regarding the amendment of the Fisheries Act - C-68 and ‒ Fleet independence

• Email the presentation to Committee members.
• Lead: Maryse Lemire
• Status: Presentation sent in the email dated February 22, 2019.

Consultations: - regulatory amendment - recovery plan

• Plan for meetings with industry to review stock rebuilding plans.
• Plan a conference call to present the proposed regulation to the Listuguj Mi’gmaq First Nation and the Community of Gesgapegiag (because of the technical issue during the Liaison Committee).
• Lead: Élaine Bouchard / Jérôme Beaulieu
• Status: Ongoing / Consultation period closed

Fishery Monitoring Policy (catch monitoring)

• Send the summary sheets of the presentations.
• Lead: Élaine Bouchard / Jérôme Beaulieu
• Status: Sheets sent in the email of February 22, 2019.

Administrative Guidelines

• Send information about core licences.
• Send the Regional Guidance in January.
• Schedule meetings to present the Regional Guidance if necessary.
• Lead: Érik Arsenault
• Ongoing / Regional Guidance sent by email on February 4, 2019 / Meetings conducted between February 11, 2019, and April 3, 2019.

Professionalization of fish harvesters

• Send the Notice to Fish Harvesters about the transition period.
• Add the topic of professionalization to the agenda of the next Committee meeting.
• Lead: Érik Arsenault
• Status: Notice to Fish Harvesters published on January 23, 2019 / Topic for the Liaison Committee in December 2019.

Update regarding management measures to minimize risks to or deaths of right whales

• Send updates about Right Whale management measures as quickly as possible after the fishing season.
• Submit recommendations regarding Right Whale management measures to the Minister in January.
• Lead: Antoine Rivierre
• Status: Departmental announcement on February 7, 2019. Notice to Fish Harvesters published on April 12, 2019 / Completed

Other Business

Explore the possibility of discussions about marine protected areas between DFO, the industry and Parks Canada.

• Lead: Maryse Lemire
• Status: Information session during the Liaison Committee meeting on July 10.

Project on marine protected areas in the Estuary and Gulf of St. Lawrence: Once the planning is complete, consultations with industry would take place.

• Lead: Élaine Bouchard
• Status: First information sessions held on June 17 and 19, 2019.

Validate and send the information that is available regarding the proposed Manicouagan Water Reserve.

• Lead: Élaine Bouchard
• Status: The information will be transmitted.

Validate and send any available information about the process of reintroducing fisheries into MPAs.

• Lead: Élaine Bouchard
• The information will be transmitted.

Send the Committee meeting minutes, presentations and summary sheets.

• Lead: Maryse Lemire
• Status: Sheets and minutes sent in the email dated February 22, 2019.