Question Period Note: Arctic Surf Clam

• Clearwater Seafoods and First Nations communities in Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador have entered into an agreement to harvest Arctic surf clam.
• DFO is committed to pursuing a path that supports reconciliation, which remains an important consideration for the future of this fishery.
• We are pleased that First Nations Communities and Industry are working in practical ways to support rights reconciliation and their own fishing aspirations.

If pressed on whether the Department will make a decision on the issuance of the fourth Surf clam licence to the this year…

• The Department will analyse the options available, including the possibility of issuing the fourth licence for 2021.

If pressed on whether the full 2021 quota will be released to Clearwater if the fourth licence is not issued…

• The Department wants the 2021 Surf clam fishing season to be successful and will make decisions that provide social and economic benefits.

• Three offshore artic surf Clam licence are currently held directly or indirectly by one company, Clearwater Seafoods Incorporated. The fishery is conducted on a year round basis from January 1 to December 31.
• In March 2019, Clearwater Seafoods announced that it had entered into an agreement with Nova Scotia’s 13 Mi’kmaq communities (as represented by the Assembly of Nova Scotia Mi’kmaq Chiefs) and Miawpukek First nation in Conne River, Newfoundland and Labrador.
• The agreement provides for revenue sharing, employment and training and development for the Indigenous participants. The fourth licence would be issued to a corporation, the shareholders of which would be the 14 Indigenous communities. The agreement provides that the Indigenous communities would retain control of the rights and privileges conferred under the licence, and contemplates the use of Clearwater’s sale and distribution system for the fish caught under the fourth licence.

Supplementary:
• The entire 2020 total allowable catch (TAC) for Arctic Surf Clam was made available to Clearwater Seafoods, the current licence holder in this fishery.
• This allows for the economic benefits to remain in coastal communities while Fisheries and Oceans Canada continues to
consider broadening access to this fishery.