That's another great question, and without controversy, I'm sure.
In Newfoundland and Labrador, we have had interbreeding with wild and farmed salmon. We've worked with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and independent scientists. We have provided genetic material so that we know they can trace it back to a particular farm or to the industry. We've worked it because we want to know. We are also stewards of the sea. We operate in this province, and I think in most jurisdictions, as openly and transparently as possible.
Does it have an impact? We don't know, so we continue to work with those scientists to make a determination. If these fish are less fit, do they die off generation after generation, or if they're more fit, does it help a stocking assessment?
In my background, in addition to being a traditional wild harvester, I worked in salmon enhancement under a conservation corps for four years as an undergraduate student, and I'm an angler, so it's close and dear to my heart.
First and foremost, as an industry and as individual companies, we have invested tens and tens of millions of dollars to prevent it from happening. Second, we have a rapid reaction response plan, in case there is some type of catastrophic event as they saw in Washington a number of weeks ago. If it happens, then we have a plan to deal with that for recapture.
Yes, it has happened in Newfoundland, and we're working with scientists to determine the facts based on science.