Pacific Salmon Treaty – Effectiveness Review Forum

Tuesday,)April)5th,)Port)Alberni,)BC))

Summary)Notes)!!

Meeting)Objectives)))

1 ! Develop!a!shared!understanding!of!DFO,!First!Nations,!fleets!(Areas!F,!G,!H)!and!community!perspectives!on!the!PST!Mitigation!Program!(What!worked?!!What!impacts!were!experienced?!What!could!be!done!differently?)!

2 ! Enhance!DFO’s!understanding!of!fleet!and!community!interests!regarding!future!engagement!on!the!remaining!PST!mitigation!funds!

3 ! Identify!and!discuss!expectations!for!engaging!fleets,!communities!and!First!Nations!in!future!PST!negotiations!

4 ! Affirm!collaborative!working!relationship!with!fleets,!communities,!First!Nations!and!DFO!!

!Participants) DFO! Wilf!Luedke! Stock!Assessment!

Bryan!Rusch! Resource!Management!First!Nations! Don!Hall! NuuSchahSnulth!Tribal!Council,!UuSaSthluk!

Larry!Johnson! MaaSnulth!Fisheries,!WCA!Governance!Board!Community! Tony!Bennett! Alberni!Clayoquot!Regional!District,!WCA!Governance!Board!

Jack!McLeman! City!of!Port!Alberni!Fleets!and!CSAB!Advisors!

John!Kurtz! Area!F!Kathy!Scarfo! Area!G!Dan!Edwards! Area!G!Doug!Kimoto! Area!G!Mike!Smith! Area!G!Andy!Webster! Area!G!Dane!Chauvel! Area!H!

WCA!Governance!Board!

Odd!Grydeland! Aquaculture!Carol!Schmitt! Aquaculture!Christina!Burridge!

Processing!

Jim!McIsaac! Labour!Facilitator! Craig!Darling! Accord!Canada!Collaboration!Resource!Technical!Support! Tawney!Lem! West!Coast!Aquatic!

2

Panel)Discussion:)Looking)back)on)the)PST)Mitigation)Program)

Task:)To!develop!a!shared!understanding!of!DFO,!First!Nations,!fleets!(Areas!F,!G,!H)!and!community!perspectives!on!the!PST!Mitigation!Program!(the!Program)!)

Members:))DFO!(Wilf!Luedke/Bryan!Rusch),!First!Nations!(Don!Hall),!Area!F!(John!Kurtz),"Area!G!(Dan!Edwards),!Area!H!(Dane!Chauvel),!Community!(Tony!Bennett))

A!summary!of!panel!presentations!can!be!found!in!Appendix!A.!!Given!the!short!preparation!time!prior!to!the!forum,!the!presentations!made!by!each!panel!member!should!be!viewed!as!preliminary,!and!not!comprehensive.!Comments!may!also!reflect!personal!experience!and!observation,!and!should!not!be!viewed!as!the!‘official’!perspective!of!the!fleet,!community!or!government.!Further!internal!conversations!may!generate!additional!perspectives!that!can!be!shared!during!future!sessions.!!!Copies!of!the!full!presentations!provided!by!panelists!can!be!downloaded!here:!https://www.dropbox.com/sh/xhcoo6r44669vkm/AACk1TUVzeyfeGwkyp0An7fRa?dl=0!!

Discussion:))Following!the!panel!presentations,!clarifying!questions!were!asked!and!a!roundtable!discussion!proceeded.!!A!pilot!period!for!the!reallocation!framework!is!underway!in!the!new!IFMP.!This!should!provide!greater!certainty!to!the!fleets.!!Questions!were!posed!about!the!status!of!the!DFO!review!process!on!the!licence!retirement!component!of!the!mitigation!program.!The!contractor’s!draft!report!is!expected!within!a!week!or!so,!and!a!public!report!will!be!released!to!the!CSAB!and!others.!There!is!an!opportunity!for!the!perspectives!shared!at!this!forum!to!be!communicated!to!the!DFO!Policy!Group.!!The!exact!amount!remaining!in!the!mitigation!fund!has!not!been!announced!by!DFO.!The!estimated!price!threshold!for!licences!is!$110k.!With!104!licences!retired,!approximately!$11.4M!of!the!$28.5M!has!been!spent.!The!main!reason!for!more!licences!not!being!retired!is!likely!that!the!government!was!not!willing!to!pay!the!amount!that!licencees!were!requesting.!!A!question!was!asked!about!the!planned!reselection!in!2007.!This!was!put!on!hold!due!to!the!PST.!For!the!reselection!to!happen,!other!areas!had!to!agree!(which!didn’t!happen!because!it!would!have!constituted!a!downsizing!in!that!area).!!Questions!about!how!the!money!was!spent!on!the!allocation!framework!component!of!the!mitigation!program!were!also!asked.!There!was!a!2!year!process!and!reports!can!be!found!here:!http://www.pac.dfoSmpo.gc.ca/consultation/smon/safScrrs/indexSeng.html!!!!Allocation!was!described!as!the!‘elephant!in!the!room’.!!!!!

3

Roundtable)Discussion:)Looking)ahead)to)future)use)of)the)Mitigation)Fund)

Task:)To!explore!fleet,!community!and!First!Nations’!interests!regarding!future!engagement!on!the!remaining!PST!mitigation!funds)

!Discussion:))Various!suggestions!were!made!about!what!should!happen!to!the!remaining!mitigation!funds,!including:!!

• Provide!an!“adjusted”!Kelleher!allocation!(increase!from!2.25!–!2.37%!to!3.26%)!to!Area!H,!which!would!relinquish!any!future!claims!to!the!fund!to!Area!F!and!G!

• Split!the!fund!on!a!percentage!basis!according!to!the!number!of!licences!in!each!area,!and!apply!the!Area!H!share!($3.2M)!to!acquire!fishing!privileges!from!other!fleets!(a!la!the!PICFI/ATP!model)!

• Do!not!continue!the!buy!back!as!it!can!lead!to!a!disconnection!of!the!coast!from!the!fishery!(e.g.!New!England!example)!

• Continue!the!buy!back,!but!pay!preSPST!reduction!fair!market!values!• Direct!compensation!and!mitigation!for!losses!to!remaining!participants!–!the!Trans!Pacific!Partnership!

was!cited!as!an!example!of!precedence!where!government!provided!compensation!for!losses!(to!the!dairy!industry)!that!were!negotiated!through!treaties.!

• ‘Grow!the!pie’!by!investing!in!stock!rebuilding!• Apply!the!funds!in!a!way!that!benefits!everyone!–!e.g.!stock!assessment,!enhancement,!monitoring!

(Salmon!Roundtables’!risk!assessments!hold!vital!information)!• Communities!bringing!forward!economic!development!projects.!

!How!to!use!the!funds!was!parceled!together!with!a!discussion!about!determination!of!impact!and!entitlement!to!the!fund!(what!is!the!bar!for!evidence!of!impact?).!!There!was!general!agreement!that!the!status!quo!is!not!the!best!use!of!the!mitigation!fund.!But!what!alternate!proposal!should!be!put!forward?!In!the!absence!of!consensus,!DFO!will!decide!on!the!fund’s!use,!which!may!not!meet!the!needs!or!interests!of!the!participants.!!Key)Outcomes:)!!The!participants!a)!agreed!that!the!remaining!mitigation!funds!should!be!expended!prior!to!the!next!round!of!PST!negotiations;!and!b)!expressed!a!willingness!to!collectively!advocate!for!the!expenditure.!!!Roundtable!discussion!indicated!the!need!for:!!

1) early!confirmation!from!the!Area!F,!G!and!H!fleets!that!they!are!willing!to!work!together!to!narrow!and!reconcile!differences!regarding!future!use!of!the!remaining!mitigation!funds.!

2) the!development!of!!process!and!strategy!designed!to!a)!support!interSfleet!problemSsolving;!and,!b)!broadly!advance!WCVI!(fleets,!community!and!First!Nation)!interests!in!the!disbursement!of!the!remaining!mitigation!funds.!

!A!number!of!ideas!were!identified!for!further!exploration!(including,!for!example,!an!interim!step!that!would!see!the!remaining!funds!allotted!to!an!interestSbearing!trust!fund!with!specific!accountabilities!(e.g.!held!by!the!Pacific!Salmon!Foundation)!pending!agreement!on!a!disbursement!strategy!(e.g.!developed!through!a!management!committee!of!West!Coast!Aquatic!that!includes!participation!of!all!impacted!parties).!

4

!Actions:))

1) West!Coast!Aquatic!(subject!to!Board!approval)!to!take!lead!on:!a. Supporting!interSfleet!discussions![subject"to"fleets’"willingness"to"engage]!b. Coordinating!process!and!strategy!development!c. Liaising!with!all!participants!!

2) All!participants!to!brief!their!constituencies!and!communicate!outcomes!(questions,!concerns,!commitment!to!support)!to!West!Coast!Aquatic.!!

!!

Roundtable)Discussion:)Looking)ahead)to)the)next)round)of)PST)negotiations)

Task:)To!identify!and!discuss!expectations!for!engaging!of!fleets,!communities!and!First!Nations!in!future!PST!negotiations)

!Discussion:!!Area!G!received!a!letter!from!the!Minister!stating!that!DFO!will!consult!with!stakeholders!during!the!renegotiations,!and!to!visit!the!DFO!website!for!the!dates!of!consultation!meetings.!So!far,!there!is!nothing!posted.!The!level!of!consultation!that!DFO!is!offering!will!likely!not!be!satisfactory!to!the!participants.!There!is!an!opportunity!to!define!to!DFO!what!engagement!should!look!like.!!!Both!the!NTC!and!Area!G!have!sent!letters/done!outreach!regarding!their!interests!in!the!negotiations.!Other!groups!are!also!planning!to!write!letters.!!Action:!!

1) West!Coast!Aquatic!to!consolidate!all!individual!points!of!view!together!into!a!regional!letter.!• Cite!Minister’s!mandate!letter!and!the!commitment!to!community!engagement.!

!2) Municipalities!to!also!send!letters!to!the!Minister,!requesting!involvement!in!the!negotiations.!Also!raise!

the!issue!at!the!Federation!of!Canadian!Municipalities!meeting!in!June.!!)

Appendix(A(–(Summary(of(Mitigation(Program(Perspectives(!

! What(aspects(of(the(Program(worked?( What(aspects(of(the(Program(didn’t(work?(What(was(missed?(What(might(have(been(done(differently?(

What(direct(or(indirect(positive(or(negative(impacts(have(you(experienced(or(observed(as(a(result(of(implementation(of(the(Program?(

DFO( • 104!licences!retired!(19%!of!total!

licences).!!

• Area!F!–!44!retirements!(16%!reduction)!

• Area!G!–!42!retirements!(25%!reduction)!

• Area!H!–!18!retirements!(20%!reduction)!

• 441,222!Chinook!reduced!from!WCVI!

since!2009!

• Actual!TAC!reduction!52%!

• Avg.!catch!per!licence!in!Area!G!has!

stayed!fairly!constant!

!

• Retirements!not!going!very!fast!!

• $15O17M!estimate!still!left!

!

• !

First(Nations( • Some!licences!bought!back!!

• Price!paid!was!minimal!(good!from!gov’t!

perspective)!

• Some!local!economic!development!

funding!($500k)!

• Marginal!increase!in!Chinook!attributed!

to!T’aaqOwiihak!Nations!(~300!

fish/licence!retired!in!Area!G)!

Didn’t'Work'• Many!stocks!of!concern!are!still!of!concern.!

• Probably!not!reduced!effort!(better!fishers!

remain!in!the!industry)!

• Further!eroded!participation!of!local,!marginal!

Area!G!trollers!

What'was'missed?'• Lack!of!understanding!between!government!

and!Area!G!fishers!re:!permanent!nature!of!

buyback!vs.!temporary!(10yr)!measure!to!

address!stocks!of!concern!

• No!harvest!rate!reduction!in!northern!AABM!

Chinook!fisheries!

• Harvest!rate!reductions!to!Haida!Gwaii!and!

WCVI!rec!fisheries!

What'could'have'been'done'differently?'• Total!buyback!of!Area!G!Fleet!and!creation!of!

smaller!resident!fleet!

• Not!apply!mitigation!measures!to!Area!F!or!H!

• Harvest!rate!reduction!in!Area!F!and!northern!

rec!fisheries!

Negative'• Impact!on!Area!G!much!higher!than!

30%!

• Loss/reduction/decay!of!infrastructure!

to!support!fleet!

• Loss!of!sockeye!access!to!Area!G!

trollers!

• Reliance!on!single!species!(Chinook)!for!

Area!G!trollers!

Area(F( • No!reduction!of!TAC!in!Area!F! • Area!F!fleet!grew!from!110!to!285,!creating!

problems!in!the!area!

Positive'• Licences!bought!out!but!allocation!is!

divided!between!remaining!trollers!

giving!those!that!remain!a!greater!

chance!of!viability,!and!those!ready!to!

retire!a!way!out!

!

Negative'• The!“reverse!auction”!set!up!aimed!at!

removing!licences!for!the!lowest!price!

has!not!kept!pace!with!increases!in!

value!on!the!open!market.!As!a!

consequence,!the!number!of!

“successful!bids”!has!declined!to!near!

zero.!

• The!decreased!number!of!troll!licences!

has!had!a!limited!impact!on!the!

northern!coho!fishery!through!

allocation!to!the!northern!net!fleet.!

Area(G( • !Fleet!reduction!reduced!the!number!of!

participants!

• !After!50%!cut!in!catch!and!incomes,!buy!

back!was!only!opportunity!left!for!many!

fishermen!to!get!out!of!the!industry!

• Fleet!reduction!as!a!form!of!mitigation!hasn’t!

gone!to!those!affected.!

• Fleet!reduction!hasn’t!been!equitable!with!

amount!of!fish!removed!from!Area!G!(50%!

avg.!catch!reduction!but!24%!reduction!in!

participation)!

• Fleet!reduction!not!really!voluntary!(no!other!

option!after!50%!cut!in!income)!

• Prices!fixed!by!DFO!–!market!for!licences!is!

limited!and!controlled!by!DFO!

• DFO!paying!too!little!–!value!of!licences!

assessed!after!removing!50%!of!fish!and!

potential!income.!

• DFO!not!paying!fair!value!of!“fishing!

enterprise”!

• CPUE!in!rec!fleet!increased!leading!to!

increased!sport!catch!

• Area!reselection!did!not!occur!–!Area!G!locked!

in!the!WCVI!region!

• Allocation!process!reduced!or!removed!future!

Negative'• 50%!cut!in!income!on!top!of!already!

low!profit!margins!–!barely!able!to!

cover!operating!and!fixed!expenses!

• Not!enough!funds!to!support!new!entry!

cost!

• Community!health!impacts!related!to!

not!being!able!to!provide!for!youth!and!

others!

• DFO!Area!G!licences!held!in!inventory!

for!First!Nations!have!decreased!in!

earning!and!job!values!by!over!25%!

• More!demand!on!the!decreased!

amount!of!remaining!fish!is!created!by!

DFO!buying!inactive!licenses!and!reO

allocating!them!into!active!fishery!

• DFO!policy!of!sport!priority!means!

more!Area!G!commercial!catch!is!held!

to!the!fall!when!there!is!significantly!

less!value!per!fish!

access!to!sockeye!for!WCVI!and!Area!G!

!

• Security!of!licence!and!confidence!in!

ability!to!make!a!living!are!questioned!

Area(H( • Rather!than!respond!directly!to!each!of!the!discussion!questions,!Dane!Chauvel!chose!to!provide!an!overview!of!the!current!status!of!the!

Area!H!fleet,!referring!in!particular!to!the!negative!impact!of!the!allocation!framework!

Communities( • !Economic!development!funds!to!assist!

communities!

• Ministerial!decision!re:!use!of!mitigation!fund!

vs.!jointly!collaborating!on!a!strategy!

• Allocation!issues!still!exist!

• Mitigation!for!loss!to!fleet!hasn’t!happened!

• Straight!buy!back!was!not!the!right!approach!

Negative'• Damage!to!Area!G!fleet,!jobs!and!

infrastructure!

!