What We Heard

on Preserving the Independence of the Inshore Fleet
Public Consultations in January 2004

Foreword

The Atlantic Fisheries Policy Review (AFPR) was established by Fisheries and Oceans Canada to develop a consistent and cohesive policy framework for the management of Canada’s East Coast fish stocks. The work of the AFPR is being done in two phases: Phase I is the completion and release of a comprehensive policy framework; Phase II will establish priorities and begin the practical implementation of the policy framework. The release of the discussion document on preserving the independence of the inshore fleet is an acceleration of Phase II of the AFPR.

AFPR Vision and Objectives

The vision for the Atlantic fisheries is of a biologically sustainable resource supporting fisheries that:

• are robust, diverse and self-reliant,
• effectively involve all interests in appropriate fisheries management processes,
• are sustainable and economically viable, contributing to the economic base of coastal communities, and
• provide for the constitutional protection afforded Aboriginal and treaty rights and where Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal resource users work collaboratively.

To make the vision for the Atlantic fisheries a reality, there are two core objectives: conservation and sustainable use (of resources and habitats) and self reliance (for resource users). Two supporting objectives, which are essential to achieve the core objectives are shared stewardship (empowering and engaging participants in fisheries management decision- and policy-making processes) and a stable and transparent access and allocation approach (resource users need the assurance that they will be the primary beneficiaries of their efforts to conserve the resource).

Preserving the Independence of the Inshore Fleet

During the AFPR consultation process it became clear that industry views regarding the owner-operator and fleet separation policies were highly polarized. The inshore fleets expressed widespread concerns that the fleet separation policy is being undermined by “trust agreements” and asked that Fisheries and Oceans Canada close so-called “loopholes” in the policy that allow this to happen.

The purpose of the public consultations held in January 2004 was to receive comments and feedback about preserving the independence of the inshore fleet on Canada’s Atlantic coast. A discussion document “Preserving the Independence of the Inshore Fleet on Canada’s Atlantic Coast” was prepared by DFO. The document which sought to provide a focus for stakeholder input on “trust agreements” and the owner-operator and fleet separation policies was used to guide the round of public consultations.

The document was released in early December 2003, and distributed to stakeholder groups and others who had indicated an interest in the Atlantic Fisheries Policy Review process.

The public consultation sessions were open to all and were well attended. The same format was followed at each meeting. The meeting began with a brief discussion about the purpose of the meeting and the agenda for the consultation. This was followed by a short presentation which summarized the discussion document (see Appendix A). Registered speakers who indicated they would like to make formal presentations were next to speak. Finally, a round table discussion on the key themes in the document (dealing with “trust agreements” and the owner-operator and fleet separation policies) was held, followed by a brief discussion on next steps including how to provide additional input.

We indicated that written summaries of the public consultation sessions would be provided to those who attended the meeting and who had signed our registration sheet. This report honours that commitment. The summaries are listed chronologically, beginning with the first session in Port Hawkesbury on January 13 and ending with the session in Iqaluit on January 29, 2004. The summaries are divided into three parts. First, an overall summary of the public meeting; second, a more detailed summary of the formal presentations; and third, a more detailed summary of the comments during the round table discussion.

In addition to holding public consultation sessions, we invited groups and individuals to submit written comments on the discussion document (with a deadline of February 29, 2004).

Fisheries and Oceans
March 2004

Summaries of Public Consultation Sessions

Port Hawkesbury, NS
January 13, 2004

Yarmouth, NS
January 15, 2004

St. John's, NL
January 20, 2004

Moncton, NB
January 21, 2004

Charlottetown, PEI
January 22, 2004

Gaspé, QC
January 27, 2004

Iqaluit, NT
January 29, 2004

The What We Heard document in full is available in .html format.
The What We Heard document in full is available in .pdf format.

Last Updated : 2004-04-21

Important Notices