CONSULTATIVE ARRANGEMENTS 225 



of these activities and so any initiatives toward formal 

 planning structures along these lines should come from it, 

 and I hesitate to suggest that the federal government 

 should take a leading role. However, if they are estab- 

 lished, the federal government should press for represen- 

 tation by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans on 

 those established for rivers that support salmon. 



Direct Communications With the Public 



A few years ago, the fisheries were mainly the concern 

 of enclaves of commercial fishing interests in coastal 

 communities, and fisheries policy was directed accord- 

 ingly. Today, in contrast, interest extends broadly to hun- 

 dreds of thousands of commercial, sport and Indian 

 fishermen, environmental organizations, businesses and 

 the public at large. This burgeoning interest should be 

 encouraged because it supports advances in fisheries pol- 

 icy. But, with the notable exception of the Salmonid 

 Enhancement Program's public information effort and its 

 publication Salmonid . the government has not responded 

 to this interest in an organized way. A periodical, The 

 Sounder , reports current developments in fisheries 

 administration, but its audience is the public service 

 itself And a Fishermen's Newslett er has been published 

 only sporadically in recent years. 



It is too much to expect members of consultative 

 groups to regularly communicate to the fishing commu- 

 nity the current developments in management and pol- 

 icy. And the newsletters of organized groups cannot be 

 counted on to present the issues in a comprehensive and 

 balanced way. 



This Commission's hearings have revealed a great deal 

 of misunderstanding about fisheries matters and a thirst 

 for information. The latter is reflected in the media's 

 recent attention to fisheries and in one west-coast news- 

 paper's sponsorship of a significant fund-raising effort for 

 salmonid enhancement. The government should recog- 

 nize a responsibility to inform the public about the 

 resources under its stewardship, to explain management 

 problems and to provide current information about pol- 

 icy developments. 



I therefore propose a new and vigorous public informa- 

 tion program, centered on a high-quality periodical for 

 wide distribution. This magazine should combine and 

 absorb the Department's existing publications mentioned 

 above. Thus — 



6. The Department should replace its existing publica- 

 tions with a single high-quality, readable periodical for 

 wide distribution to inform the public about fish 

 resources, management problems and policy develop- 

 ments. 



The publication should stimulate interest with feature 

 articles and photography. A good example is the highly 

 successful periodical, ForesTalk , published quarteriy by 

 British Columbia's Ministry of Forests. 



CONCLUSION 



The Department has made an impressive effort to 

 develop consultative mechanisms; but, with some excep- 

 tions, it has not been highly successful. Badly structured 

 advisory groups and faulty procedures have undermined 

 confidence in the process, the essential element of its suc- 

 cess. The arrangements need thorough reorganization 

 within an orderly framework, as I have proposed. 



Consultation, like democracy, is hard work, but no sat- 

 isfactory alternatives exist. If the government demon- 

 strates a commitment to the process by putting suitable 

 structures in place and inviting meaningful participation 

 in policy making, I have no doubt that the response will 

 be rewarding. As one participant pointed out, fisher- 

 men — 



. . .collectively possess a vast body of knowl- 

 edge about the fishery and local conditions 

 germaine to its management. Their potential 

 to offer good data and management advice is 

 considerable. '- 



I should add that governments have the responsibility 

 to govern, and they cannot delegate their responsibilities 

 to private groups. More specifically, the Department is 

 responsible to Parliament for managing the fisheries, and 

 while it should systematically consult and listen to advice 

 as I have proposed, it must make final decisions and 

 stand accountable to Canadians as a whole. Moreover, 

 the Department's obligations to consult are not infinite; it 

 should feel obliged to give consultative groups timely 

 information and a reasonable penod to provide advice, 

 but having done so and seriously considered the advice 

 received, it should not delay action because of lethargy or 

 a lack of consensus on the part of advisors. 



Finally, because any private interest group's knowl- 

 edge and experience is specialized, consultations on some 

 matters are more appropriate than on others. For exam- 

 ple, who should have the right to obtain fishing privileges 

 is a favourite topic among fishermen. But the allocation 

 of rights to use public resources is a question of high 

 public policy, which must be settled with reference to 

 legal, social and fx)litical considerations. Thus, it should 

 be dealt with in legislation and provisions for allocating 

 fishing licences (as I propose). And any unfairness or 

 hardship that results should be referred to the appeal pro- 

 cess. Consultative groups with vested interests in the 

 fisheries should not be encouraged to dwell on this issue. 



