Fisheries committee  I would say that in terms of presence, certainly we have been out there for about three or four years, but in the absence of the kinds of changes that the minister managed to achieve with the NAFO regime. We had a presence and certainly we were boarding and doing all of that, but

Fisheries committee  I will start, Mr. Chairman. Then I will give the floor to Mr. Corriveau, who will talk about the figures. As regards the question on priorities, we have a plan for this year. The minister will certainly be happy to share this plan with the committee.

Fisheries committee  The EU has a patrol vessel out there.

Fisheries committee  Certainly on one of the science vessels, the oceanographic vessel, the last thing is a replacement for the Hudson. It will have some ice capability, and the fisheries research vessels will as well. The Hudson has operated in the far north in season--the kind of September-October

Fisheries committee  We have an MOU with DND that specifies the number of days--I think it's 155--for both coasts. On the west coast we have traditionally used some of that time for search-and-rescue support, but in general terms they provide support to ensure that we can try to maintain a two- to th

Fisheries committee  I would say that Canada has a significant presence out there most of the time--

Fisheries committee  In the context of the recent reforms under way in NAFO and the changes in the compliance that came into effect in January this year, we do not have custodial management. But we certainly have a regime that has very effective compliance. That played out in the last 36 to 48 hours

Fisheries committee  Mr. Chairman, we are prepared to answer questions from committee members. Perhaps I'll introduce the players, although I think most members of the committee know them. With me are Michaela Huard, ADM policy; Dr. Wendy Watson-Wright, ADM science; David Bevan, ADM fisheries and

Fisheries committee  From my perspective, it's not a $24 million shortfall, to be clear from our analysis; it is a work in progress. As we worked our way across the country, our analysis was that we needed in the order of $12 million a year for the science part of this, that the overall amount of mon

Fisheries committee  Perhaps I could wade in. It is our opinion, and in the context of the policy framework we'll be taking forward, and in the context of Bill C-45, as currently constructed, that it is something that the minister should do. In other words, we see shared stewardship as being a fundam

Fisheries committee  Can I say that we'd really be grateful for feedback, even unhappy feedback, because what we're trying to do is what we've indicated here. We will provide the committee with operational statements, but if members of the committee or colleagues are in a different world, with a part

Fisheries committee  If I could leap in, I think the last question is a difficult subject for everybody, including those in the industry. It's challenging in some of these discussions to figure out what somebody said and what somebody heard. I don't want to impugn anybody, and I know you're not eithe

Fisheries committee  Mr. Chairman, we could provide the committee with our list of projects in this area, along with more detailed information.

Fisheries committee  The minister has been clear, and we're certainly looking at it. The ice situation in 1991 carried on well into June, as I understand it. It was an ice compensation package. We're engaged in trying to ensure that, should it be necessary, we can move it forward as quickly as possib

Fisheries committee  I think it would be a question of timing. In 1991 we were also dealing with groundfish and the competitive fishery, and so on. We're currently dealing with crab and other things. The challenge with crab, though, will be soft-shell. Last year the fishermen went early and had a v