APPENDIX C - List of Recommendations from Interim Report

Recommendation 1

The Committee urges the federal government to ensure that all job transition funding be allocated in a way that does not discriminate against those who have not claimed employment insurance benefits, but who were attached to the fishery and who were displaced by the Mifflin Plan.

Recommendation 2

The Committee recommends that the Terms of Reference for eligibility for Transitional Jobs Fund funding should be expanded to include such projects as those involving new fisheries, eco-tourism, stream mapping, enhancement and restoration.

Recommendation 3

The Committee urges the federal government to eliminate the capital gains tax for future licence buybacks by government for fishermen wanting to retire from the industry and to implement the $7.7 million Voluntary Retirement Plan.

Recommendation 4

The Committee urges the federal government to immediately announce that any salmon licence holder may opt not to fish in 1998 and/or 1999 and waive the licence fee, while retaining their licence privileges for subsequent years.

Recommendation 5

The Committee urges the Minister to implement a seine net buyback option as soon as possible for company boat skippers displaced as a result of fleet downsizing.

Recommendation 6

The Committee urges the federal government to revise the partnership provisions contained in the new Fisheries Act, tabled as Bill C-62 in the previous Parliament, to address the concerns of fishermen before the Bill is reintroduced.

Recommendation 7

The Committee urges the federal government to ensure that adequate numbers of new personnel, and adequate operating funds for new fishery development and advocacy, be established immediately on the West Coast.

Recommendation 8

The Committee urges the Department of Fisheries and Oceans to immediately reduce the At Sea Observer requirement for the groundfish trawl industry on the West Coast to a practical level.

Recommendation 9

The Committee believes that fisheries officers can successfully manage the shrimp beam trawl fleet with random checks. The Committee urges the Department of Fisheries and Oceans to devise a cost-effective monitoring program for beam trawlers and also urges the Department to reduce the fee structure imposed on the fishermen.

Recommendation 10

The Committee urges the federal government to immediately cancel the cost-sharing directive of December 4, 1997 from Environment Canada and to nominate a senior person within the Department of Fisheries and Oceans to be a British Columbia-based advocate for shellfish aquaculture.

Recommendation 11

The Committee urges the Department of Fisheries and Oceans to reconsider its announced hake policy review and to consult with the village of Ucluelet prior to announcing any further policy reviews or changes.

Recommendation 12

The Committee recommends that the Department of Fisheries and Oceans immediately return to the pre-1997 drainage policy in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia and recognize that ditch cleaning is an essential activity carried out by local and provincial authorities, with federal government approval. The Committee also recommends that the Department of Fisheries and Oceans develop a dispute-resolution protocol and pro-active policies in this area so that local governments and landowners can have meaningful input and resolve conflicts with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans.

Recommendation 13

The Committee urges the Department of Fisheries and Oceans to implement prawn size and trap mesh size requirements for the sports sector comparable to that of the commercial sector. These requirements should include a sport fishing trap tag similar to the commercial tags to help pay for stock monitoring and assessments. The Committee also urges the Department of Fisheries and Oceans to work with the Sports Fishing Advisory Board to monitor prawn spawning grounds.

Recommendation 14

The Committee recommends that area movement be reduced to promote the crab resource's sustainability and urges the Department of Fisheries and Oceans to allow only the currently announced year-2000 area movement for each crab licence holder.

The Committee further urges the Department of Fisheries and Oceans to consider a reduction in the number of licence holders focused on the areas of current stock concern.

Recommendation 15

The Committee urges the Minister to end the continuing uncertainty over British Columbia lightstations by maintaining staffing at these vital installations.

Recommendation 16

The Committee urges the federal government to immediately increase the budget for enforcement officers on the British Columbia coast.

Recommendation 17

The Committee urges the Minister to immediately ensure that uncast ballots at all future voting are not credited to the results one way or the other, consistent with Canadian election and referendum laws.