John Cummins, M.P. Delta-South Richmond

News Release

November 25, 2002

Cummins Demands Answers from Thibault
On Advisory to the Minister of Fisheries from John Fraser

OTTAWA- John Cummins, M.P (Delta-South Richmond) questioned the Minister of Fisheries today on the advisory issued to the Minister by the Hon. John Fraser chair of the Pacific Fisheries Resources Conservation Council.

Mr. Fraser this morning advised that sea lice from fish farms had devastated returns of pink salmon to the Broughton Archipelago in 2002. He called for immediate action to protect young pink salmon in 2003, including the fallowing of salmon farm sites in the Broughton by the end of February.

The following exchange occurred between Cummins and the Hon Robert Thibault in Question Period:

John Cummins: Mr. Speaker, let us talk about another failure, on the other coast. The number of pink salmon spawners in the Broughton Archipelago collapsed this year, declining by almost 100% in some inlets.

This morning the Pacific Fisheries Resource Conservation Council advised that the decline was unlikely to have been caused by chance alone. In fact sea lice were the problem, sea lice associated with salmon farming.

Is the Minister going to regulate the salmon farming industry or is he just going to sit around and wait until the Pacific salmon goes the way of the East Coast cod?

Hon. Robert Thibault (Minister of Fisheries and Oceans): Mr. Speaker, I can advise that I am quite concerned about the variations in stock size of the pink salmon. I met with the premier of British Columbia this morning. We talked about joint co-operation in making sure we have an efficient, economically and environmentally sustainable fishery. I have yet to see the report of Mr. Fraser. I will have the report soon and I will have it reviewed by departmental staff. We will see the recommendations that he has made and take appropriate action.

Contact: John Cummins, M.P.
(613) 992-2957 or cell (604) 970-0937