International Trade committee  Yes, I think it's worth a wider discussion. I'll name three things just quickly: unprecedented changes in climate, volatility of markets and the impact of seals on both coasts. We need to adapt faster. To have a champion, someone who can help both sides of the industry to do that, I think would be a good thing.

International Trade committee  I have just one sentence: We need equivalency, but each country has different approaches. There's a constant dialogue going on about what's more effective or what could be, but not everyone is following the same measures. Thank you.

International Trade committee  Thanks, Geoff. One of the biggest challenges we currently have this year is not so much with our U.S. counterparts: It has been more that harvesting groups are looking for some slight modifications within the current protocols. A lot of time and effort have been put into coming up with some recommendations, which were submitted in January.

International Trade committee  —it is critical that we encourage and maintain fair and equitable trade with secure trading partners. It is critical that the purchase of processing plants and seafood supply chains are properly scrutinized by our federal government in terms of who receives the benefit of ownership.

International Trade committee  Thank you, Madam Chair. The Prince Edward Island Fishermen's Association would like to thank the Standing Committee on International Trade for the opportunity to present this afternoon. The PEIFA represents over 1,260 captains who are independent owner-operators on Prince Edward Island.

Natural Resources committee  On our consultation to date, I can appreciate that we're not directly involved with this just yet, but these can be located anywhere. There were two calls with DFO. We reached out to the staff at Marine Renewables Canada and had several calls with them to try to find more background information.

Natural Resources committee  Thank you, Mr. Chair. On behalf of the Prince Edward Island Fishermen's Association and the 1,360 captains we represent, I would like to thank the Standing Committee on Natural Resources for the opportunity to present today on aspects of Bill C-49. We understand the purpose of the proposed legislation is threefold: form a new regulatory scheme, establish a ministerial decision-making process and make regulations to prohibit commencement or continuation of petroleum or renewable energy projects.

Fisheries committee  I can't comment on the process on that side of the industry, but to segue or to add on to what Mr. Arnold just asked there, maybe CFIA is an agency that should also be part of it, because they're quite involved in authorizing both imports and exports, I believe. Are they, for example, notified that some product is in moratorium and needs to be questioned if it's being exported?

Fisheries committee  The mackerel fishery is very controversial right now, as mentioned earlier. There needs to be more dialogue with the U.S., because Canada's gone into a moratorium, and the American quota hasn't varied very much, so, basically, it's not helping the resource. There are lots of aspects to this.

Fisheries committee  It was very disappointing, because a person out of our office was on the technical development committee. We weren't aware, and it came across, and they gave a date when the existing technology would no longer be accepted and when you would have to go out and develop to the new platform.

Fisheries committee  I would suggest there is, yes. I think part of it is this: It's a self-regulating fishery, and it's not managed in the same way as commercial fisheries. There are tags issued, but it's spot checks. That's why a lot of what we're putting forth here today is.... As harvesters, let's work together and have the same management controls.

Fisheries committee  One of the problems is that, because non-indigenous harvesters aren't involved in a lot of the discussions, we don't know. I can't comment on that. It doesn't mean it's a bad program. We've been trying for a long time, Mr. Hardie, to get more dialogue going among the federal government, first nations and non-indigenous harvester groups.

Fisheries committee  Chair, I have one more point. I guess, quickly.... It's more provincial jurisdiction, but there should be alignment of the fines for illegal activity among the provinces. I guess one problem, too, that we could have now is that a fine in Prince Edward Island might be $1,000 for an infraction, and it might be $200 in Nova Scotia.

Fisheries committee  Yes.

Fisheries committee  There have been several things. Probably one of the most significant ones was around 2017, I believe, when the platform changed. There was a working group between industry and DFO on this particular challenge—getting it going and implementing it. I'm not an IT expert, but that meant the companies or organizations that, at the time, had developed a log had to step back, reinvest and develop on a different platform.