Fisheries committee  It already exists.

Fisheries committee  Here's the issue. In the application inside the zone, it would have to be at our request and with our agreement. We would have to want it, ask for it, and vote yes to it.

Fisheries committee  That's because we've agreed as a body to behave as if the new convention was already in place. We've agreed to have decision by consensus. We've agreed to implement things such as ecosystem-based management and protection of vulnerable ecosystems, even though it's not covered by the convention.

Fisheries committee  First off, I must point out on the objection procedure that there is a dispute settlement process now, or would be under the new convention, that doesn't exist under the 1978 convention. So that's the significant difference.

Fisheries committee  The opt-out is only if people are going to look at the most obstructive way to interpret the convention and to behave in a way that's inconsistent with their obligations under current international law. While you can say that there's a potential there, the reality is that this would be a significant departure from current practices and current expectations.

Fisheries committee  If they go to the UNFA binding arbitration, they are obliged to follow that decision.

Fisheries committee  After that process, after they go to UNFA, they can't object.

Fisheries committee  Some are portraying the UNFA boarding provisions as that the Canadian inspectors could board a vessel of another country. That's the case. If there is no response from the flag state of that vessel within 72 hours, the Canadian inspectors can bring the vessel back to a Canadian port.

Fisheries committee  Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have a deck that I believe is being distributed to the members, and I'll just briefly speak to that. I guess the choice before us with respect to NAFO is between the revised convention and the old convention of 1978. There is no opportunity to choose other options; the solutions would not be realistic.

Fisheries committee  On the specifics, as the deputy mentioned, people have gone ahead with the combining process, and in a number of cases enterprises have been combined. We don't want to penalize them, nor do we want to create an unfair advantage on others. We are looking at different rules that would apply this year, compared to last year, that would be geared toward a balance between those who have combined, those who wish to reduce their costs through buddying up, and make sure that in the process of it there's not going to be an opportunity for somebody to extract resource rent and not be a fisherman, or an opportunity for people to create a buddy-up arrangement, break it down, go competitive fishing in another fishery, and then recombine.

Fisheries committee  There will be buddying up in both fleets. We have to seek the approval of the minister on what the specific arrangements will be.

Fisheries committee  Let me add one brief point. These are decisions that have economic and social impacts. In the past, we've given ministers science advice. Now, when we have to make these kinds of tough calls, we make sure the minister has information regarding the impacts, how those impacts are distributed, and who is going to be affected most severely.

Fisheries committee  Everybody has dockside monitors.

Fisheries committee  We are in the process of studying the issue to find ways of dealing with the seal problem. Obviously, we have to find some way of reducing their numbers. The grey seal hunt is not enough. Even with a total catch of 10,000 seals, all the hunters really took was 2,000. So we have to find another way of dealing with the problem.

Fisheries committee  Right now we have what's called a re-entry policy. The fixed gear is the active gear, and mobile gear is not active.