Question Period Note: Newfoundland and Labrador vessel length rules

Newfoundland and Labrador vessel length rules

My department’s licensing policies will continue to ensure that our commercial fisheries are environmentally sound and economically viable.

Environmental and socio-economic conditions that affect our fisheries continue to evolve. That is why my department monitors the effectiveness and utility of existing policies, including those that identify vessel length restrictions.

Recently, Fisheries and Oceans Canada has begun outreach in Newfoundland and Labrador to gauge stakeholder interest in reviewing regional vessel length policies for inshore harvesters.

We remain committed to ensuring the safety of harvesters at sea, and the adaptability of vessel fleets to the challenges posed by climate change.

• Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) initiated a policy review in 2018, which is ongoing. Each policy that pertains to the inshore, including vessel policies, will be evaluated and clarified within the context of the other inshore policies, and where required, amended to align with the new regulatory regime.
• DFO’s vessel-related policies, which include vessel length, vessel registration, and vessel leasing policies, is one of the key policy areas to be reviewed. The vessel policy review builds on recommendations stemming from the 2018 House of Commons Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans’ final report, entitled Atlantic Canada’s Marine Commercial Vessel Length and Licensing Policies – Working towards Equitable Policies for Fishers in All of Atlantic Canada. The Department’s vessel policies will be assessed based on a set of relevant considerations, which include factors such as safety, allowing for greater adaptability/mobility to address climate change, increasing consistency and fairness among fleets and regions, as well as key operational considerations such as small craft harbour spacing, investment and coordination.
• Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s vessel length restrictions recently received negative attention in the media. Most criticisms focused on rules in Newfoundland and Labrador, suggesting that the imposed limits have negatively affected vessel stability, fuel efficiency and safety.
• In light of these criticisms, the Department is conducting outreach meetings in Newfoundland and Labrador to gauge the interest of stakeholders of re-examining some of the regional vessel length policies for inshore harvesters. The NL region held seven virtual meetings that provided fish harvesters and other stakeholders the opportunity to provide input on the regional vessel length restrictions for NL’s under 40 feet fleet. The meeting was attended by approximately 500 harvesters and 95 per cent of the 86 stakeholders that voiced their opinion on the issue were favourable to an increase to the 40-foot barrier. The main reason raised by stakeholders to increase the limit was for safety at sea, but other reasons related to cost effectiveness of larger vessels and the predominance of quota fisheries were also raised by many. The virtual meetings will be followed up with an email to all core enterprise holders in the coming weeks.
• The Department’s primary concerns are that any future changes to vessel policy rules do not unintentionally encourage excessive investment in any given fishery. The use of larger vessels may lead to increased demand for more fish in order to support the increased financial investments and increases in maintenance costs. Unless mechanisms are in place to allow fleet capacity to self-adjust with the amount of resource available, the use of larger vessels, particularly in competitive fisheries, may lead to increased enforcement challenges.
• Safety at sea is a priority for the federal government and for DFO. Safety will be an important consideration in the modernization of licensing policies and working towards allowing for more adaptable fleets that reduce vulnerability and strengthening resilience.
• The Department will continue to work with its partners to advance commitments against the Memorandum of Understanding with Transport Canada and Transportation Safety Board. The Department manages a safety at sea action plan, including short and long-term activities in the areas of governance, engagement, policy and information.

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