On Tuesday, October 16, the committee met to continue its study on invasive species that pose a threat to the Great Lakes System. A Liberal motion on the Great Lakes was introduced and passed by the committee in camera. (See the Minutes here.) Following the short in-camera session, officials of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) explained the necessity of Budget 2012’s allocations of $17.5 million to prevent the potential invasion of Asian Cars into the Great Lakes. Each witness from the Central and Arctic Region division, Acting Regional Director General David Burden, Senior Science Advisor Becky Cudmore, and Research Scientist Nick Mandrak, elaborated on the ecological and economic damages that Asian Carp could incur without action, and also discussed the potential routes of Great Lakes entry points from United States’ water bodies. Collaboration with the U.S. and Ontarian governments, as well as NGOs and scientists, was encouraged in the wake of DFO’s recent risk assessment.
On Thursday, October 18, the committee met in camera to discuss “Closed Containment Salmon Aquaculture.” The Minutes can be found here.