Q-539 , 45th Parliament, 1st session May 26, 2025, to present

With regard to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans' decision to close commercial fishing for mackerel in Atlantic Canada: (a) what was the amount of mackerel in the region before the moratorium; (b) what is the amount of mackerel in the region now; (c) when was the last time the amount of mackerel in the region was considered at strong enough levels in order to not have a moratorium; (d) what threshold would make the mackerel stock eligible to have the moratorium lifted with regard to the (i) size of the mackerel, (ii) size of the biomass; (e) when was the most recent biomass assessment of the mackerel data and what departments and personnel were involved in collecting the data; (f) what specific scientific models or methodologies were used in the biomass and stock assessments; (g) who was involved in the decision-making process for the moratorium, including (i) government departments, (ii) government officials, (iii) third-party advisory bodies, (iv) provincial government officials, (v) provincial government departments, (vi) industry professionals; (h) what indicators or benchmarks are used to evaluate recovery progress during the moratorium; (i) are local and regional perspectives being considered in the monitoring of stock health; (j) how does Canada's mackerel stock assessment align with, or differ from, those conducted by other jurisdictions facing similar issues; (k) is Canada working with any of the other jurisdictions for joint action on mackerel stocks, and, if so, what are the details; (l) what economic impact assessments were conducted prior to the moratorium's implementation; and (m) what is the government's assessment of how the moratorium is affecting trade of Canada's mackerel stock?