(Ottawa) Any approach by the federal government aimed at protecting endangered species like the right whale is doomed to failure if Ottawa does not take into account the concerns of fishermen, believes the leader of the Bloc Québécois, Yves-François Blanchet.
Mr. Blanchet and three other Bloc Québécois MPs recently met with fishers and industry representatives in Sainte-Anne-des-Monts, in the Gaspé, to find possible solutions to a major challenge: how to reconcile the protection of marine biodiversity while maintaining significant economic activity.
At the end of this meeting, which was also attended by marine biology expert Lyne Morissette, one conclusion emerged. “We will not rally sea workers and the entire industry to the actions necessary to protect the right whale and marine biodiversity by isolating them and impoverishing them,” said Yves-François Blanchet.
From this meeting, the Bloc Québécois produced a series of recommendations which, Mr. Blanchet hopes, will make it possible to take the necessary measures to protect the Atlantic right whale, which has seen its population reduced to less than 400 individuals, without preventing people from earning a living.
The population decline of this mammal is largely caused by human activity. Right whales have died after becoming entangled in fishing gear or colliding with ships.
In addition, there has been a lower rate of reproduction of the species in recent years.
As a pilot project, the government should authorize the start of the snow crab fishery as of the 1er April of each year, according to the Bloc Québécois. The abundance of this resource is such that fishermen would be certain of reaching their quotas, so that it would be possible to significantly reduce the period during which fishing activities and the transit of right whales overlap in the north. of the Îles-de-la-Madeleine, according to Mr. Blanchet.
The Bloc Québécois also proposes that the Department of Fisheries and Oceans reduce the period of closure of marine sectors during the transit passage of right whales north of the Magdalen Islands. This measure is all the more possible as the duration of the whale’s presence there is approximately 24 hours, while Ottawa imposes a closure of approximately two weeks.
PHOTO BY BLAIR GABLE, REUTERS
Yves-François Blanchet, leader of the Bloc Québécois
And if Ottawa must restrict fishing activities in order to protect certain marine species, it must offer an alternative fishery and provide financial support to enable workers in the industry to begin the transition.
Consultation
In addition, the federal government should fund research projects to develop and test mechanical and technological measures to better locate marine mammals in order to reduce the impact of fishing on their movements.
Consultation is the key to efforts to ensure the survival of our marine species. Fisheries and Oceans Canada must therefore absolutely include professional fishermen in the development of its species protection plan, otherwise it will fail.
Yves-François Blanchet, leader of the Bloc Québécois
The Bloc Québécois also believes that it would be in the interest of all stakeholders for the federal government to deploy the civil servants assigned to the biodiversity preservation file to the maritime regions of Quebec and Canada.
The sovereigntist party also believes that Ottawa must give a minimum of three months’ notice before closing a fishing activity for a season, instead of sticking to a 48-hour notice as has been the case a few times in the past.
As COP15 on biodiversity draws to a close in Montreal, the Bloc believes that the Trudeau government must formally renounce all offshore exploitation of hydrocarbons as of now, and put an end to any initiative that has been launched or announced in this regard.