Question No. 420 Ms. Judy Foote: With respect to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and foreign vessels in offshore waters: (a) what is the department doing to address the illegal fishing of Newfoundland cod as bycatch and the misreporting of turbot catches and other species; and (b) will the government make public the department’s reports concerning boardings and inspections of foreign vessels in offshore waters?

Community fishing vessels should be allowed to engage in fishing activities outside Community waters only after having been authorised by the competent authority responsible for the authorisation of the fishing activities concerned, such as the competent authority of the third country in whose waters the fishing activities take place, the authority competent for authorising fishing activities in international waters covered by provisions adopted in the framework of an RFMO or similar arrangement, or, where it concerns fishing activities on the high seas not regulated by any agreement, the competent authorities of the Member States withou ...[+++]t prejudice to specific Community legislation concerning fishing activities on the high-seas.

Without prejudice to Community legislation concerning fishing activities on the high-seas, Community fishing vessels shall be entitled to engage in fishing activities on the high seas in waters not falling within the scope of an agreement or a RFMO if they have been issued with an authorisation from their flag Member State in accordance with national provisions.

1. An operator of a Community fishing vessel, intending to conduct fishing activities on the high seas in waters not falling within the scope of an agreement or a RFMO, shall inform the authorities of the flag Member State about such activities.

According to Nunavut’s Minister of Sustainable Development, the Coalition’s long-term objectives are to: develop the capacity of Nunavut fishing interests to harvest the turbot resources in the waters adjacent to Nunavut; develop the credibility of Nunavut fishers in the Atlantic fishing industry; and maximize fisheries development over the next 5-10 years ([33]) According to the BFC itself, its stated objectives are to: undertake exploratory fishing; develop new inshore and emerging fisheries; develop offshore fisheries; recruit and train Inuit for current and new jobs in the offshore fishing industry; invest in a Nunavut fishing ...[+++]vessel; lobby for more access to other fishing quotas, including turbot in 0B; encourage scientific research; and administer the initiative, including preparing Calls for Proposals ([34]) Because Nunavut does not have the harvesting capacity to undertake fishing operations directly, the Coalition’s activities have so far consisted of selling its 0A allocation to non-Nunavut fishing companies – Canadian and foreign – in return for royalty fees and the hiring of a minimum number of Inuit as crew.

2. Fresh fishery products immediately landed from a fishing vessel flying a third-country flag shall, in accordance with Council Regulation (EEC) No 1093/94 of 6 May 1994 setting the terms under which fishing vessels of a third country may land directly and market their catches at Community ports (20), and before they can be imported into any of the territories listed in Annex I, undergo the veterinary checks laid down in respect of fish immediately landed by fishing vessels flying the flag of a Member State.