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CHAPTER 19 



ADMINISTRATION 



. . . government often attempts to do too 

 many things for too many people at the cost 

 of neglecting its most serious responsibihties. 

 and government often attempts to under- 

 finance and under-staff those most important 

 elements of its mandate which often have a 

 low political profile. 



THE FISHERIES ASSOCIATION OF BRITISH COLUMBIA' 



The government's success in fulfilling its mandate to 

 manage fish resources and their use depends first on suit- 

 able legislation, regulations, policies and objectives; and 

 second on the provisions for admmistenng them. In this 

 chapter, I address the latter. In particular, I am con- 

 cerned with the Department's organization, financing 

 and persormel. 



Participants in the Commission's hearings expressed a 

 wide range of views regarding administration of fisheries 

 resources. Some saw administration as the main problem: 



We believe that the quality of the administra- 

 tion by the Department of Fisheries and 

 Oceans is the most critical problem in the 

 industry today. All other problems are not 

 only secondary, but in many cases are the 

 direct result of poor administration.- 



Others thought that the government was doing as well 

 as could be expected given insufficient funds and man- 

 power, and the lack of long-range policy. 



With the funding, manpower, and mandate 

 they are given, they do a commendable job of 

 managing a very difficult industry.' 



Many were complimentary and sympathetic to the 

 Department's problems. 



. . . almost all the staff of the D.F.O. with 

 whom I consult are in my view, capable, well 

 meaning and helpful. They absorb a great 

 deal of misdirected abuse from the industry 

 at large and still maintain cordiality and con- 

 cern for our problems. It is my opinion that 



criticism of the D.F.O. are due to an absence 

 of vision and long-term planning and not to 

 the quality of the individual personnel 

 employed there. The problem is compounded 

 by the lack of political will to follow through 

 with the good management initiatives when 

 they do appear.** 



Basic Responsibilities 



The Department of Fisheries and Oceans acts as Can- 

 ada's principal steward of fish resources and of the 

 aquatic habitat on which they depend. The Department's 

 responsibilities for fisheries and ocean science extend 

 throughout the Canadian provinces, the northern territo- 

 ries and coastal waters. The Pacific region's responsibili- 

 ties encompass Canada's entire Pacific coast, including 

 offshore islands to the 200 mile limit, and the mainland of 

 British Columbia and Yukon. Through international 

 fisheries treaties, the Department is also involved in man- 

 aging fisheries in extraterritorial waters in the Pacific and 

 Arctic Oceans and in the Bering Sea. Administration of 

 freshwater fish (including the anadromous steelhead and 

 cutthroat trout) and fishing has been delegated to the 

 Province of British Columbia, leaving the federal authori- 

 ties responsible for all other fisheries resources and for 

 commercial. Indian and recreational fishing in this vast 

 area. 



The Department's basic responsibilities are set out in 

 the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans Act, 

 under which it is directed to administer a number of stat- 

 utes.^ On the Pacific coast, the most important of these 

 are the Fisheries Act, Fisheries Development Act, Fish 

 Inspection Act, Fishing Recreational Harbours Act, 

 Coastal Fisheries Protection Act and the Fisheries and 

 Oceans Research Advisory Council Act. In addition, the 

 Department is involved in five international commissions 

 on the Pacific: the International Pacific Salmon Fisheries 

 Commission, the International Pacific Halibut Commis- 

 sion, the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission, the 

 North Pacific Fisheries Commission and the North 

 Pacific Fur Seal Commission. It also has a role in the 

 Salmonid Enhancement Program, based on a federal 

 cabinet order and a federal-provincial agreement, 

 described in Chapter 5. 



Organizational Structure 



The Department is organized around six regions: the 

 Pacific, Newfoundland, Gulf, Scotia-Fundy, Ontario and 

 Western (the Prairie Provinces and Northwest Territo- 

 ries). Responsibilities for these regions are divided 

 between two Assistant Deputy Ministers, one being 

 responsible for Quebec and the Atlantic, the other for 

 Ontario and western Canada including the Pacific region. 



