Very often, we prefer not to answer that question. We dare to think that we will never have to face that kind of situation.
The model could take its inspiration from the groundfish crisis that occurred in the late 1990s. At that time, the fisheries economy rested in large part on the groundfish fishery. It took a good ten years to get through that crisis and find a way to diversify the economy. There were 1,200 jobs lost out of about 6,500, which is huge. Ten or twelve years later, in the regions of Quebec that I am familiar with, I would say that our region and the Gaspé are the most dynamic, economically speaking. We also are able to attract young people and young families. Our growth is weak, but it is the opposite of what is going on in the rural areas of Quebec where I have contacts.
We need to diversify the economy. The LDC and the municipality, working with its partners, have benefited from some government assistance aimed at fostering that diversification. We have chosen to diversify within the fishing industry because we believe it is still possible to develop that sector and optimize revenues. I don't even dare imagine what could happened if there were to be a 30 per cent drop in lobster revenues. The actions taken by the industry seem to be appropriate for ensuring the sustainability of the stocks.