Certainly.
I'd like to thank you for inviting us here today to discuss part 4, division 18. This refers to clause 411.
The proposed legislative amendments introduce a new section to the Fisheries Act, section 10, specifically subsections 10(1) and 10(2). These would authorize the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans to allocate fish for financing purposes in the context of a joint project agreement.
There are additional amendments to the Fisheries Act contained in part 3; these also allow for entering into agreements with others. Those are in proposed new section 4.4 of the Fisheries Act.
These new amendments together would provide the department with the ability to use moneys that flow from these agreements containing the aspect of the use of fish for the purposes of defraying incremental and operating costs attributable to activities set out in such agreements.