Fisheries committee  I would say that is correct, and the fish is theirs to do so. One of the issues on all of this--

Fisheries committee  Well, if a group of fishers and an association decide to do this, we don't need to be involved. The reason that associations have approached us on this is that they have a problem with free riders. To some extent that's how we got into some of these JPAs. We can't be part of it a

Fisheries committee  Well, that would depend very much on whether Bill C-45 gets to committee and the views of committee and Parliament at the end of the day.

Fisheries committee  If the context of Bill C-45 dealing with this area is built on the same policy framework as our approach to Larocque--and that is based on our experience that shared stewardship with folks involved in the industry having part of the decision-making authority, having part of the o

Fisheries committee  There are some nuances. At the level of making JPAs legal so we and industry can engage in them and avoid the free rider issue, it would basically give us the authority to do that. I don't know, Kevin, whether you want to give more detail on that.

Fisheries committee  Thank you, Mr. Chairman. It is a pleasure for me to appear before you again today. As the committee has requested, we'll be making presentations on the environmental process modernization plan and our response to recent decisions of the Federal Court on science funding. I think

Fisheries committee  And recognizing the desire to get on with questions, we do have the two decks. We've put a fair amount of information in the deck, Mr. Chair, but we will live with the timeframe so that there's time for questions. With your indulgence, sir, I'll ask Sue Kirby to do a brief run-t

Fisheries committee  Thanks, Mr. Chair. I'll start off and then ask David to say a few words. Certainly this is an area the committee might like us to come back and talk about, the whole range of announcements. The minister is open to propositions from other fleets around combining and all that ki

Fisheries committee  If I could say on the loan guarantee thing in terms of access to capital, in the Newfoundland case the provincial government, which has a program on the basis of all the changes, is quite comfortable extending that program for the new policies. We're engaged in discussions with o

Fisheries committee  Mr. Chairman, there is another aspect of interest to our department. Our responsibility is not confined to understanding what is going on, but also to see how we should be adapting to these changes. This is a very broad issue: how should we be responding to this change in the cas

Fisheries committee  Quite honestly, that is an excellent question. Our budgetary response clearly shows that this is a top priority for our minister. We are also attempting to take a more ecosystemic approach in the scientific sector and even in the ocean sector. Next year, the government will be in

Fisheries committee  Since we're at main estimates, I would say yes, Mr. Chairman, but how quickly we could do that, I'm not sure.

Fisheries committee  I would say the other part of our response to the seal hunt, as with a few fisheries--it's certainly enforcement and reassuring the world that we are monitoring that one--is a big search and rescue component, so that we're immediately available. It's not just fisheries enforcemen

Fisheries committee  Yes. Perhaps I will just give a quick answer. Certainly I'm aware of it. I became aware of it when I met one of the people involved in it in P.E.I. at a separate thing a couple of weeks ago. The minister, thanks to the honourable member's intervention and my conversations with h

Fisheries committee  There is indeed a focus. In fact, among the various summits that the minister has co-chaired with various provinces was one in Charlottetown--I forget when, but a few months ago--co-chaired between the provincial minister and our minister, and the focus was the Northumberland Str