Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Good morning everyone.
For the information of committee members, I would just like to say that the current study will ultimately lead to recommendations that will be presented in the House of Commons, to the government, and then to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. We are aiming for rapid intervention. We are almost at the beginning of April, and the season will begin in early May. However, there are already a lot of things being done.
I simply want to point out that the fishers' level of organization is such that they are able to come through the kind of events we have seen recently, and which may well occur again. In light of what you just said, your reorganization allowed you to be better equipped than if you had been working in different silos, with a lot of different enterprises. By consolidating, you gain strength.
I would like to hear your views on future constraints. If we have a clear understanding of the constraints and challenges that are on the horizon, we will have a better understanding of the kind of solutions that are needed. You frequently referred to transportation. That is one potential solution.
The recession in the United States will affect the market and the price of lobster. Even though lobster from here is not exported to the United States, there is a danger that the Quebec market, which is our main market, would be inundated. That would result in competition that could destabilize prices. So, I would be interested in hearing your comments on the constraints facing processors such as yourselves. It is important for us to know about them and have a good understanding of what they represent.