From: kbell@mun.ca
Subject: Congratulations, and hopes
Date: May 2, 2003 5:56:52 PM CDT
To: Thibault.R@parl.gc.ca

Dear Mr. Minister,

A word to say that I am pleased to hear that the conservation of cod has
been recognised for the difficult and necessary decision that it is, and I
congratulate you on your bold decision to go further in conservation than the
FRCC insisted.

I hope that earnest scientific work will be done to begin examining the ways
by which we might hope to bring cod back -- not as a small marginal fishery but
as the fishery it once was.

At the same time I have great respect for many fishermen and the
difficulties they face. There needs to be a way of working toward a long-term
goal that will see cod stocks recover or assisted to recovery, and yet also
retaining the cultural link that Newfoundland and the eastern margin of North
America have with cod.

I wish you well in bridging the differences between the fishing community
and the scientists that (they claim) are wrong. In part that is an outreach
challenge, but -- more fundamentally -- it requires that all DFO staffers be
mindful that their primary function is to serve the long-term public interest.

I personally do not believe this can happen with policies like the OSP
(Official Spokesperson Policy). I hope the time will come when it is
recognised by scientists and those who employ them that they cease to be
scientists in the full sense when they are prohibited from speaking freely,
especially in response to issues of conservation concern. The choice can be
crystallised as follows: given that the OSP limited debate in key decision
years, are we happy that the cod fishery in entirety was a small price to pay
for the appearance of solidarity within the department/government, or (instead)
would we not now prefer to roll the clock back, and to have taken in stride and
openly embraced in the most positive way the debate and diversity of thought
within the scientific community, and to perhaps have forestalled the calamity
that did happen?

In short, we need to accept the calamity, accept how it came about, and
proceed to building and installing measures and attitudes that will prevent it
happening again. Fisheries problems like this are not unique to Canada, in
fact they are virtually world-wide; but we have a chance to lead the world's
way out of these problems.

Sincerely,
Kim
Dr K.N.I Bell
Biology, Memorial U.