POLICY OBJECTIVES 



lem call for social and cultural as well as economic judge- 

 ments. The second requirement implies that the commer- 

 cial fishery will take its catches efficiently, without the 

 wasteful use of labour and capital in overexpanded fleets 

 that now plague the industry; that sportfishing values will 

 be preserved by appropriate regulation; and that Indians 

 will use their catch in the most beneficial way. 



An acceptable fisheries policy must also take account 

 of prevailing concepts of fairness in resource allocation 

 even though they are typically difficult to reconcile with 

 one another and with efficiency. 



Economic development and gro»th My terms of refer- 

 ence direct me to make recommendations toward ensur- 

 ing that the "vigor of the fishing industry is maintained 

 and advanced, and its structure, ownership and control is 

 consistent with industrial eflnciency." The goal of promot- 

 ing economic development and growth embodies at least 

 two supplementary objectives; 



i) To improve incomes in the fisheries. Returns to 

 labour and capital are typically low and unstable; 

 much better returns are potentially attainable by a 

 rationalized industry. 



ii) To develop the economic opportunities of coastal 

 communities and Indian people. My terms of refer- 

 ence draw attention to both the social and economic 

 contribution of fish resources. These are closely 

 related in the fishing communities and Indian settle- 

 ments along the coast and in the mterior of British 

 Columbia and Yukon. My recommendations regard- 

 ing licensing arrangements are aimed at improving 

 the economic base and social stability of these com- 

 munities. 



Social and cultural development Since fisheries policy 

 bears heavily on certain groups, it should be designed to 

 be consistent with, if not promote, public objectives with 

 respect to those groups. In this report, social concerns 

 influenced my recommendations in several ways. In addi- 

 tion to the special needs of coastal communities, I have 

 taken into account the special economic problems of 

 Indians and their unique dependence on fish for nutri- 

 tional needs and cultural activities. I have also taken into 

 consideration the need to preserve recreational opportu- 

 nities and to protect the commercial fisherman's lifestyle. 



In these strained times, we should remember 

 that it is often the varied and colourful user 

 groups within the industry, and not just the 

 rich fish stocks and their beautiful environ- 

 ment, that make this industry one of the most 

 satisfying to be a part of.' 



Accordingly, in making my recommendations I have 

 taken pains to ensure that fishermen will not be arbitrar- 

 ily excluded from the industry, that they will be able to 



participate in a freely competitive industry and that they 

 will be fettered no more than necessary by regulatory 

 control. 



This does not mean that I agree with those who advo- 

 cate a return to former practices, older technologies and 

 an earlier way of life. Although I believe in learning from 

 past experience, I do not believe that the fisheries of past 

 decades offer a suitable model for the future. Change is 

 not only inevitable but also desirable. But new policies 

 must be designed so that they can be implemented with 

 minimum dislocation of those who have established posi- 

 tions in the fisheries. 



Returns to the public My terms of reference instruct 

 me to make recommendations to ensure that the eco- 

 nomic returns from fishing accrue to fishermen to the 

 extent that they represent "fair and reasonable returns to 

 commercial fishing enterprises. . . ." Beyond that, the 

 returns should accrue to the Crown, through "charges 

 levied by the Crown for rights to fish . . .consistent with 

 the value of resources recovered. . . ." 



At present, the fisheries are a heavy burden on taxpay- 

 ers, and relatively few commercial fishermen are enjoying 

 earnings in excess of "reasonable" returns to their labour 

 and capital. But fleets better adjusted to the available 

 resources could undoubtedly yield very substantial net 

 gains. My recommendations for rationalizing the fishing 

 fleets and improving their economic performance are 

 therefore coupled with recommendations to capture some 

 of the gains for the public. 



Flexibility One of the most conspicuous characteris- 

 tics of the fishenes. especially the commercial fisheries of 

 the Pacific coast, is their susceptibility to rapid change — 

 change in resource abundance, in markets, and in fishing 

 technology and effort. In recent decades major fisheries 

 have suddenly emerged, others have disappeared, and the 

 commercial and sportfishing fleets have been transformed 

 in their size and structure. Although the forms of future 

 changes are unpredictable, we can assume that change 

 will continue. Thus, in order to avoid the reactive 

 changes in policy that create an environment of uncer- 

 tainty and instability, policy must be designed to be resi- 

 lient and durable in the face of continuing shifts in the 

 external environment. This is an important concern in 

 my proposals for redesigning all types of fishing licences. 



Administrative simplicity Obviously, a successful pol- 

 icy must be amenable to administration and enforce- 

 ment. In the past, the Department of Fisheries and 

 Oceans has often found itself with insufficient manpower 

 or information to administer its policies effectively or to 

 enforce them consistently. In many cases the resources 

 available for administration and enforcement are too 

 meagre; but frequently the effectiveness of management 

 and regulation could be improved by adopting different 



