Question Period Note: Pinniped predation on salmon in Pacific Region

What is the Department doing about the predation by pinnipeds on Pacific salmon?

• The Department is aware of concerns about the impacts of predators on salmon. However, there is uncertainty regarding the factors that may be contributing to salmon stock declines.
• Fisheries and Oceans Canada scientists continue conducting research on the role of seals and sea lions in a changing marine ecosystem, including pinniped predation of fish stocks.
• Our priority is to ensure that the best available information is utilized when making management decisions to ensure sustainability of a healthy and productive aquatic ecosystem.

• Context: The rebound in pinniped populations to historic levels has coincided with the recent decline in salmon populations, leading several First Nations groups to request management action to address the large numbers of pinnipeds and their perceived impacts on salmon populations.
• Attention to this issue has grown significantly in recent years among these groups. This has included calls for increased harvests, culls, and/or sterilization to reduce the size of pinniped populations. The issue is divisive; there has also been vocal opposition to pinniped removals from environmental groups and animal rights advocacy groups.
• There are concerns among numerous commercial and recreational fishing groups and numerous Indigenous groups in Pacific Region that pinnipeds, particularly Steller and California sea lions, and harbour seals, are impacting economically valuable and culturally important fish stocks.
• There is a high degree of scientific uncertainty regarding the extent of pinniped predation on wild salmon stocks, including Steelhead. While seals and sea lions do eat salmon, salmon represent a small proportion on average of their diet. Seals and sea lions also eat predators of salmon and herring, such as hake.
• Seals and sea lions are an important food source for Transient killer whales, also known as Biggs killer whales, whose numbers have been increasing in inshore waters along the British Columbia (BC) Coast in recent years. This population of killer whale has been listed as Threatened under the Species at Risk Act (SARA) since 2003.
• In Canada, Steller sea lions are listed under SARA as a species of special concern based on its sensitivity to human disturbance while on land and vulnerability to catastrophic events (such as major oil spills) due to its highly concentrated breeding aggregations.
• Management Approach: Government of Canada’s approach to the management of the harvest of pinnipeds (i.e. seals and sea lions) on the west coast focuses on a sustainable and humane Indigenous harvest for food, social, and ceremonial purposes and continuing ongoing scientific research to further Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s (DFO) understanding of the salmon-pinniped interaction. DFO does not undertake any active management of pinnipeds beyond this in the Pacific region.
• DFO is not considering a cull at this time and commercial fisheries are not a tool to management population levels.
• There continues to be a wide variation amongst technical experts on the interpretation of scientific results, the potential efficacy of potential mitigation actions (such as lethal removals), and the level of acceptable risk associated with possible actions.
• Commercial Pinniped Fishery Interests: There are currently no commercial fisheries for pinnipeds on the west coast. Any proposals for a potential commercial pinniped fishery are assessed under the New Emerging Fishery Policy (NEFP). Over the past three years, DFO has received three proposals for a commercial pinniped fishery with the objective to reduce pinniped population levels. All proposals were assessed under the NEFP and remain unapproved.
• As a proponent driven process, additional information is required to consider further assessment against the NEFP and address the feedback provided by DFO. The objective of such proposals should focus on commercial benefits and should not be linked to salmon conservation. None of the proposals were submitted by a First Nation.
• Science: DFO is working to evaluate seal and sea lion diets in Pacific Region. Estimating the amount of prey consumed by seals requires a number of different types of data that are difficult to obtain given that marine mammals are a wide ranging, diving predator and distributed in remote locations.
• DFO Science is conducting research on the population dynamics and diets of pinnipeds to better understand pinniped salmon interaction. This work includes updating assessments (including trends and current status) for Pacific harbour seal, Steller sea lion, and overwintering California sea lion populations, based on aerial survey data. DFO Science is also analyzing data collected from scat samples to better understand the diet composition for these three species. Research indicates that there is a large degree of uncertainty about the role of pinnipeds in salmon abundance trends.
• Private Members Bill C-251 “An Act respecting the development of a federal framework on the conservation of fish stocks and management of pinnipeds”, was introduced in the House of Commons on February 9, 2022. Following a vote on June 15, the bill was defeated and will not be referred to the House of Commons FOPO; accordingly, the bill will not proceed for further consideration.
• The Government of Canada opposed Bill C-251 for several reasons, including that the Bill lacked a scientific basis for the requirement of the proposed measures and their efficacy; the Bill duplicates existing authorities under the Fisheries Act and Marine Mammal Regulations, and finally the Bill could have threatened the Canadian fish and seafood industry’s access to key export markets.
• DFO’s fish and seafood trade with key partners, including the United States (US), needs to be supported by management decisions that are based on the best available scientific evidence and internationally recognized practices and provisions aimed at ensuring the sustainable use and conservation of marine species.
• If enacted, Bill C-251 would have risked violation of international legal obligations under the US Marine Mammal Protection Act import provisions, the Canada-US-Mexico Agreement, and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership.

• Fisheries and Oceans Canada bases management decisions on the precautionary approach. This utilizes the best available information, including peer-reviewed science and Indigenous Knowledge.
• The Department is not considering a pinniped cull at this time.