(Ottawa) Federal Fisheries Minister Diane Lebouthillier says it is essential to control the seal population – “predators of the sea” – to protect the future of the fishing industry. She says she is not afraid to cross swords with French actress Brigitte Bardot if necessary to win her case.
“A seal eats everything that’s at the bottom of the water. It’s like a rat. It’s beautiful when it’s small, but when it gets big, it’s a problem. And it eats! It eats the part of the fish that suits it. Very often, it will eat the belly of the fish and leave the rest there,” the minister said in an interview with The Press.
“There are a lot of seals in the waters and there are no predators. We are in competition with them! We must therefore aim to stabilize the population, that’s clear, if we want to protect all species for future generations and protect our industry,” she adds in the same breath.
Mme Lebouthillier acknowledges that this statement risks provoking a debate. No matter. She has no intention of backing down. As proof, she is working to have this issue included in the third United Nations Ocean Conference, which is to take place in June 2025… in Nice, France.
She took advantage of a visit to the UN a few months ago to meet the French ambassador to the United Nations. “It’s sure to cause a reaction. But I told the ambassador that I would like the issue of invasive species to be included on the conference agenda and that this must include the seal. We have to talk about it,” she insisted.
The Nice meeting is jointly organized by the governments of France and Costa Rica.
Figurehead
In the 1970s, Brigitte Bardot became the figurehead of animal rights groups that opposed the seal hunt. In 1977, the actress even landed in Newfoundland to denounce the seal hunt. Her famous accusation “Canadian murderers” became the rallying cry of opponents of this practice. Groups like WWF, IFAW and Greenpeace took up this crusade. One after another, countries decided to close their doors to seal products, including the European Union in 2009.
PHOTO ETHAN CAIRNS, CANADIAN PRESS ARCHIVES
Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard
In an interview, Minister Lebouthillier indicated that seals must be considered a resource. “It’s not a problem. It’s a challenge. It doesn’t bother me what Brigitte Bardot thinks. It’s a resource. There was a time before Mme Bardot is not struggling, we were exploiting the resource in a very intelligent way. The goal is not to destroy a resource. It is to use it well. It is necessary. At 98%, everything is usable. Seal is excellent when it is well prepared, as in the case of sheep,” she said, with a wry smile.
She said discussions are underway between her department and indigenous communities, including the Innu and Inuit, so that they can “take the lead” in stabilizing the seal population. “We can’t wait for the white shark to do its job. There aren’t enough of them for that.” […] “There is work that needs to be done in partnership with Indigenous people, with the provinces, with tourism. People are ready to try it. In the provinces, some describe it as meat and for others, it is a fish. We need to agree on that as well. Is it a fish or meat?” she explained.
In his element
It has now been a year since Mme Lebouthillier heads the Department of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard. She previously headed the Department of National Revenue for nearly eight years.
“I’m really more in my element at Fisheries. I’m not an expert, but I still know what’s going on,” said the woman who represents the riding of Gaspésie–Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine in the Commons, where the fishing industry is crucial.
The minister is very concerned about the impact of climate change on the fishing industry. For example, she points out that there was no ice in the Gulf of St. Lawrence last winter.
The Gulf and oceans are warming and there is less and less wild produce. We often forget that fish eat fish. If you want your fish to grow, they have to eat too. Everyone is in the same pantry.
Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard
“The result is that crab fishing started earlier. Lobster fishing started earlier. We have exploratory lobster fishing on the North Shore. We have never fished lobster on the North Shore. I announced 25 exploratory permits in the spring. Those who have the permits can catch between 1,000 and 1,400 pounds per day in the traps. This is unprecedented.”
“In southwest Nova Scotia, lobster stocks are declining. We’re starting to see salmon in the Arctic, which we didn’t see before. Everything is moving underwater!”
“Fishermen are our eyes and ears. They see what is happening in our oceans,” she said. And what is happening in our oceans is worrying.