Tab A – Current issues / Early decisions

Current issues

Purpose

To provide an overview of current issues that will require the Minister's consideration early in the Government’s mandate.

Priority issues that may require early engagement for situational awareness, direction, and/or decision include:

• Blue Economy
• Reconciliation and Indigenous Fisheries
• Aquaculture Management
• Marine Conservation
• Shipbuilding
• Conserving Wild Salmon

Blue economy

Canada is well-positioned to be a major player in the global blue economy with significant potential to grow our ocean sectors responsibly and sustainably

Key issues

1. global ocean economic activity is rapidly expanding and is expected to reach over CAD 4 trillion by 2030 - Canada must act to capture its share
2. peer countries are moving forward with coordinated strategies in order to seize opportunities (including: Norway; the UK; Portugal; Australia; and, India)
3. the blue economy can unlock enormous economic benefits for Canadians, and for coastal communities in particular

Considerations

• an extensive, five-month long engagement process has taken place – Canadians have been consistent in their desire for a strategy that facilitates sustainable economic growth in Canada’s ocean space
• a “What We Heard” is currently being finalized and expected to be released publicly in the near future
• opportunity to advance federal actions/strategy to support the ocean-based economy in the near-term

Reconciliation and Indigenous fisheries

Active and comprehensive relationship with Indigenous groups across the country with interests in fisheries and marine issues

Key issues

1. fisheries and marine issues central to many ongoing treaty and negotiating tables
2. increasing expectations from Indigenous groups to access diversified economic opportunities (e.g., commercial fisheries and aquaculture)
3. East Coast – increasing tensions surrounding the treaty right to fish for a moderate livelihood
4. West Coast – ongoing disputes surrounding Food, Social, Ceremonial (FSC) access, treaty and rights recognition as well as shared resource decision making

Considerations

• in 2021, DFO introduced a new, optional path for First Nations in the Maritimes and the Gaspé region of Québec to aid members fishing in pursuit of a moderate livelihood and continues to assess longer-term measures with Indigenous partners and stakeholders the way forward on moderate livelihood is expected to be contentious given divergent
• views between Indigenous and non- Indigenous fishers
• on the west coast, FSC fisheries, fisheries closures (salmon) expected to be key issues for Indigenous groups in near-term

Aquaculture management

Challenges in enabling an environmentally sustainable and economically successful aquaculture sector

Key issues

In recent years, broad scale and regional aquaculture initiatives have been initiated:

1. recent engagement on new federal aquaculture legislation to: foster national consistency, while respecting federal, provincial, and territorial jurisdiction; improve regulatory certainty; enhance environmental protection; and support industry growth
2. work is ongoing with the province of British Columbia (B.C.) and Indigenous communities to develop a plan to transition from open-net salmon farming, as per the December 2020 announcement

Considerations

• while Eastern provinces support federal aquaculture legislation in principle, respecting existing jurisdiction without encroaching on the ability to regulate aquaculture in their jurisdictions remains a key concern and will likely require ongoing discussion with provincial counterparts
• preliminary engagement with partners has been initiated on a net-pen transition plan in B.C., but requires close and continued collaboration with partners for a successful plan for transition

Marine conservation

Work is advancing towards the target of conserving 25% of marine areas by 2025, and working towards 30% by 2030

Key issues

1. domestic and international commitments driving significant efforts in marine conservation activity in recent years
2. significant effort underway toward implementing a plan to conserve 25 per cent of marine and coastal areas by 2025, working towards 30 per cent by 2030, in line with Canada’s international commitments

Considerations

• meeting the 2025 and 2030 targets requires strong relationships with governments, Indigenous Peoples, and industry divergent view on marine conservation approaches given the potential loss of economic opportunity versus conservation benefits
• bottom trawling, oil and gas exploration and exploitation activities, dumping, and mining are now prohibited in Oceans Act marine protected areas, which is an issue of contention for some P/Ts and industry sectors
• monitoring and enforcement will be a future challenge

Shipbuilding

The National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS) is moving forward to meet long-term operational requirements

Key issues

1. existing ships are nearing the end of their maximum service life
2. significant and recent investments have been made under the NSS to complete [Information was severed in accordance with the Access to Information Act.] vessels, procure 24 helicopters, and implement interim measures to ensure continuity of critical on-water services

Considerations

• Canadian shipyards have experienced significant delays in project schedules [Information was severed in accordance with the Access to Information Act.]
• [Information was severed in accordance with the Access to Information Act.]
• COVID-19 has impacted the maritime industry by causing workforce instability and material availability challenges throughout the supply chain, [Information was severed in accordance with the Access to Information Act.]

Conserving wild salmon

The Sustainability of Atlantic and Pacific Wild Salmon Stocks

Key issues

1. nationally, wild salmon populations continue to decline due to increased pressures on the resource, including challenges associated with meeting the needs of Indigenous groups, recreational fishers, and commercial harvesters
2. there are important differences with respect to managing salmon stock recovery
   • Atlantic: no commercial fishery but abundance is at historically low levels with little signs of recovery despite a fishing moratorium in place since 2000
   • Pacific: ongoing commercial fishery with continued stock declines requiring DFO to implement fisheries closures that have substantial socio-economic impacts

Considerations

• work is underway to consider new measures to restore and maintain healthy wild Atlantic salmon populations with partners
• implementation of a comprehensive federal response to address historically low returns of Pacific salmon and protect and rebuild stocks is underway
• ongoing engagement with stakeholders, partners, and other orders of government will continue and help to shape the way forward

First three months

Purpose

To provide an overview of decisions and activities that will require your attention over the coming months, including:

• priority outreach
• key events
• Budget 2022
• ministerial appointments
• fisheries decisions

Priority outreach

Context

• as Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, you will have frequent interaction with a range of domestic stakeholders, Indigenous peoples, and other partners across the country
• while the Department maintains regular dialogue and structured engagement with these partners and stakeholders, a high degree of interest to access you and your officials can be expected
• these interactions will need to be balanced against many competing obligations and interests as Minister
• targeted and proactive outreach coupled with early planning for regional engagements will position you to build key relationships across the country
• a list of key domestic stakeholders and partners is provided in the Annex

Snapshot

• P/T ministers will engage you bilaterally on a range of issues and through a multilateral forum (e.g. the Canadian Council of Fisheries and Aquaculture Ministers (CCFAM))
• Indigenous leaders the national (e.g. AFN), regional and community levels across the country are highly engaged in fisheries, marine and environmental issues

Examples of other stakeholder and partners in your portfolio:

• Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance; Fisheries Council of Canada; Canadian Independent Fish Harvesters Federation; Oceana Canada; WWF Canada; Oceans North; Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers

Next steps

• priority introductory letters will be drafted for your signature (e.g. P/T counterparts, and stakeholders)
• reactive: The Department will provide recommendations on key events and meeting opportunities
• target dates for regional visits and stakeholder engagement will be discussed with your office

Key events

Context

• as Minister, you are regularly invited to attend events with domestic stakeholders and partners.
• the Department supports your attendance at these events by flagging key upcoming events, preparing scenario and background notes, and speaking points to support your participation
• you can expect to be engaged early on convening the Canadian Council of Fisheries and Aquaculture Ministers (CCFAM) meeting, the key forum for federal/provincial territorial engagement
  • you co-chair the annual forum each year with a rotating provincial/territorial co-chair. New Brunswick Minister of Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries is the current co-chair
• the Eastern Fisheries and Aquaculture Ministers' (EFAM) is another key forum for pan-regional fisheries and aquaculture issues

Snapshot

Examples of key ministerial events include:

• CCFAM and EFAM
• dedication ceremonies for new Coast Guard vessels
• Fisheries Officers graduation ceremonies
• annual general meetings (e.g. Fisheries Council of Canada, Canadian Independent Fish Harvesters Federation)
• ad-hoc ministerial roundtables (e.g. whales)

Next steps

Over the coming weeks, the Department will provide you with an overview of upcoming events which you may wish to attend

Budget 2022

Context

• prepared by the Minister of Finance, with the approval of the Prime Minister, the Budget outlines the Government’s fiscal priorities, as well as annual revenue projections and spending obligations
• federal budgets have typically been delivered in February and March (timing varies) following a “call letter” to each Minister from the Minister of Finance occurring several months before
• [Information was severed in accordance with the Access to Information Act.]
• [Information was severed in accordance with the Access to Information Act.]

Snapshot

Budget 2021 provided approximately $2.25 billion in new funding to DFO over five years. Additionally, the Canadian Coast Guard fleet renewal initiative received $10.6 billion over 24 years

Next steps

• [Information was severed in accordance with the Access to Information Act.]
• [Information was severed in accordance with the Access to Information Act.]

Ministerial appointments

Context

• as Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, you are responsible for 130 appointments to 30 organizations:
  • 29 Governor-in-Council (GiC) appointments. GiC appointments are recommended by you to the Governor in Council for decision. An Order in Council, formalizes the appointment
  • 101 ministerial discretionary appointments. Ministerial discretionary appointments are made at your discretion, through a letter of appointment
• most of these appointments are to commissions, bodies, and licensing boards, that assist in fisheries management decision-making domestically and internationally

Snapshot

Recommendations will be put forward for your decision to address upcoming vacancies. For example:

• notices of appointment opportunity, which will allow for the Department to initiate competitive selection process for the Pacific Salmon Commission (PSC) and Pacific Regional Licence Appeal Board (PRLAB)
• ministerial recommendations to the GIC for the position of Chair and Federal Director of the Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation (FFMC)

Next steps

• the Department will provide you detailed information on upcoming appointments requiring your attention
• discussions could begin at your earliest convenience on the appointments process and priority appointments for consideration

Fisheries and other priority decisions

Context

• as Minister, you will be required to make a number of key fisheries management decisions in the early days of your mandate (i.e. access and allocation decisions), with some fisheries scheduled to open in the early days of your mandate
• given the high volume of fisheries management decisions, many uncontroversial decisions are typically sub-delegated to regional authorities (i.e. Regional Directors General)
• you are, at times, required to consider requests for licence transfers between parties, including high profile authorizations [Information was severed in accordance with the Access to Information Act.]
• decisions related to aquaculture licensing and transfers in British Columbia may also require early consideration
• departmental legislation also requires consideration of Aboriginal treaty rights and land claims obligations as a legal requirement for decision-making concerning marine resources and habitats

Snapshot

Examples of these types of decisions include:

• authorizing fishing for food, social, and ceremonial and commercial purposes
• Total allowable catch limits and allocations for Atlantic Snow crab, Northern shrimp, and various groundfish stocks
• management plans for Pacific salmon
• rebuilding Plans for several stocks currently in the critical zone
• addition of forage species to the list of stock types

Next steps

• the Department will provide you with information on key and upcoming decisions on a weekly basis (i.e. you will be provided a weekly planning binder outlining a wide range of issues, and upcoming decisions)
• you can expect to receive focused briefings and decision memos for more substantive issues requiring your attention

Next steps

The Department will work with your office to develop a briefing plan in line with the key issues and decisions that require your attention.

You will also receive a weekly planning binder that will provide important details on a range of issues, including:

• Cabinet committee, Parliamentary, and regulatory agenda
• Treasury Board agenda
• communications look-ahead (provides list of upcoming events and announcements)
• key fisheries management decisions (ministerial and delegated departmental decisions)
• upcoming science publications
• litigation horizon
• ministerial correspondence

Annex: Overview of Domestic Stakeholders and Partners

Domestic Stakeholder and Partnership Landscape

Fishing & Aquaculture Industries

Small-scale and offshore fishing operators, regional and national fishing and aquaculture associations

Provinces & territories

Provincial and territorial governments (fisheries, aquaculture, environment)

Marine sectors

Marine transportation and shipping industries, shipyards

ENGOs

Environmental non-governmental organizations (ENGOs)

Indigenous

National, regional and local Indigenous groups and communities

Resource industries

Energy and mining associations

Regional snapshot

Pacific (BC, YK)

• significant economic value from the recreational and commercial fisheries, including aquaculture
• strong cultural ties to fisheries amongst First Nations – key element of treaty negotiations
• very active marine/fish ENGO community
• high interest in protection of the Pacific salmon and habitat / Whales
• strong FNs interest in Marine Response Regime (SAR and ER)

Central (AB, SK, MB, ON)

• primarily recreational fisheries with small commercial fishery (FFMC)
• growing interest in prevention of aquatic invasive species
• Fisheries Act implementation (given prominent energy/mining sectors)

Arctic (NWT, NU)

• Implementation of new DFO Arctic Regional Office
• Co-development of Nunavut Fisheries Regulations
• marine conservation (marine protected areas)
• comprehensive land claim and self-government agreements in place
• expectation of increased Coast Guard presence in the Arctic

Atlantic (QC, NB, PEI, NL)

• communities highly dependent on fisheries and aquaculture for employment
• strong Indigenous presence in the commercial fishery
• active fisheries and offshore energy development industry
• strong interest in remediation of Vessels of Concerns (regional cross cutting issue)

Provinces & territories

• jurisdiction over fisheries, habitat, and ocean space is complex and sometimes shared
• bilateral relationships linked to geography and jurisdiction (e.g. inland vs coastal)
• collaborative mechanisms in place to deliver on shared priorities (i.e. fish funds)

Key stakeholders

• Canadian Council of Fisheries and Aquaculture Ministers (CCFAM) – represents all jurisdictions
• Eastern Fisheries and Aquaculture Ministers (EFAM) – represents NB, NS, NL, PEI, QC

Organizational context

• federal jurisdiction(marine waters and habitat)
• P/T jurisdiction (inland fisheries)
• established bilateral mechanisms, MOUs, etc.

Priorities

• Fisheries Act implementation
• marine conservation agenda
• trade and market access
• inland and recreational fishing
• aquatic invasive species
• federal aquaculture legislation

Emerging priorities: labour, climate change, sector growth and innovation, seafood labelling

Indigenous groups and communities

First Nations, Inuit and Métis groups and communities across Canada

• active and comprehensive relationship with Indigenous groups across the country
• relationship is evolving through our approach to reconciliation
• fisheries and marine issues central to many treaty and negotiating tables

Key stakeholders

• National Indigenous Organizations (NIOs)
  • AFN (First Nation), MNC (Metis) , ITK (Inuit)
• regional and community organizations
• issue-specific Indigenous organizations

(e.g. , National Aboriginal Council on Species at Risk)

Organizational context

• permanent bilateral mechanisms with NIOs
• multilateral (NIOs part of FPT ministerial table)
• over 60 negotiating tables across Canada
• Indigenous entities (over 200) funded through Programming

Priorities

• implementation of 25 modern treaties
• co-management, co-design, and co-delivery of indigenous programs
• expanded access to fisheries resources
• greater role in decision-making related to fisheries, oceans, marine issues
• implementation of United Nations Declaration for on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP)

Fishing & aquaculture industries

• fisheries and aquaculture stakeholders vary widely in size and degree of organization
• organized through national, regional, and community-level associations
• local fishing associations highly integrated in our fisheries management processes

Key stakeholders

• Canadian Independent Fishers Federation
• Fisheries Council of Canada
• Maritime Fishermen’s Union, B.C Seafood Alliance
• Community associations (e.g. Grand Manan, NB)
• Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance (CAIA)

Organizational context

• East-coast fishery: defined by smaller independent operators, many associations
• West-coast fishery: typically highly concentrated, vertically integrated (fewer players)
• aquaculture: one national industry association; provincial role

Priorities

• fisheries – access and allocation decisions…fully subscribed fishery with competing users
• oceans – marine conservation…balancing environmental and economic interests
• aquaculture – enabling sector growth and social licence with legislative/regulatory certainty

ENGOs

• advocate for fisheries sustainability, conservation and environmental protection
• emphasis on addressing regulatory gaps, science, restoration, and public outreach
• can also be partners in delivery (e.g. Pacific Salmon Foundation, Atlantic Salmon Federation)

Key stakeholders

• Oceana Canada and Oceans North
• World Wildlife Fund Canada
• Canadian Wildlife Federation
• Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society

Organizational context

• largely organized at the national-level in environmental and science portfolios
• several active regional organizations on both coasts (i.e. fisheries, habitat, restoration)

Priorities

• [Information was severed in accordance with the Access to Information Act.]
• marine conservation targets (oceans agenda)
• clean oceans, freshwater ecosystems
• protection for aquatic species at risk
• fisheries habitat restoration
• robust science and research programs

Resource industries

• advocates for responsible growth of resource-based industries
• balancing economic competitiveness with environmental protection
• highly engaged in our legislative and regulatory agenda (i.e. Fisheries Act)

Key stakeholders

• Canadian Electricity Association
• Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers
• Mining Association of Canada
• Canadian Hydropower Association

Organizational context

• largely organized at the national-level
• represent industry-wide interests in environmental, natural resource portfolios
• bilateral mechanisms (MOUs) in place

Priorities

• regulatory certainty for major projects
• new Fisheries Act implementation
• new Canadian Environmental Assessment Act
• Impact Assessment Act
• offshore oil and gas development
• marine conservation regime
• mutually beneficial Indigenous partnerships

Marine stakeholders

• Transport Canada and Fisheries & Oceans Canada have distinct but interrelated responsibilities for the management of marine transportation safety
• stakeholders can be shipping companies, vessel users, communities (marine search and rescue, aids to navigation, oil spill clean-up)
• several shipyards currently engaged in coast guard fleet expansion

Key stakeholders

• Shipping Federation of Canada
• Canadian Shipowners Association
• Shipyards and Port Authorities

Organizational context

• several key associations at national-level
• Canadian Marine Advisory Councils – established TC/DFO bodies for marine transportation safety, environmental protection

Priorities

• safe and accessible marine shipping and transportation routes
• enhanced icebreaking capacity and services
• Oceans Protection Plan (implementing world-leading marine safety system, oil spill response, local emergency response capacity)
• fleet expansion, including efficient and transparent vessel procurement processes