First, I'd just like to thank the standing committee for the opportunity to make a brief presentation here. Mrs. Lockhart called me yesterday. Last week, I was in Saint John, New Brunswick. I was in Halifax yesterday.
I was asked if I was willing to put something together to make a presentation to the standing committee on the crisis the fishery is in today. I thank you for that opportunity. I'd like to explain a little bit about our situation here.
The presentation in your agenda would be on behalf of the lobster fishing area 24. Mr. Morrissey, my friend and colleague here, is chairman of that area. I represent 250 lobster fishermen in that area in the northern end of P.E.I., and I'm just going to make a brief presentation and then pass it on to Mr. Morrissey and he can make his. Then we'll both be here to answer the questions of the committee.
Again, I'd like to start off by thanking the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans for giving me an opportunity to speak on behalf of the Western Gulf Fishermen's Association. First, I'll tell you a little about our association. The Western Gulf Fishermen's Association represents 250 fishermen who fish off the northwest shores of Prince Edward Island, LFA 24. The Western Gulf Fishermen's Association represents each fisherman on marine fishery issues and provides information on new regulations and training requirements issued by Transport Canada. The Western Gulf Fishermen's Association is continually working on projects to make fishing more sustainable for our members.
I'm speaking here today on the lobster fishery. On the conservation side, our association began a study on the impact of bar clam dragging on lobster habitat. We also had in place a proposal to look at the effects of scallop dragging and moss raking on lobster habitat. We had funding in place and were working on the scallop dragging study when we had to stop because the DFO withdrew from the project with no clear reason provided. Our association has organized numerous dragging operations, which were performed by our own fishermen at their own expense to look for illegal lobster traps. Every year, our fishermen pay DFO for additional protection out of our own pockets. For conservation reasons, our fishermen chose not to fish lobster on Sunday.
On the marketing side, because of the downturn in the economy and the projected low prices, this season we have asked both the federal and provincial governments to put in place financial credit guaranteed for both brokers and processors. This will enable to them to purchase lobster and market them in an orderly fashion. With proper credit in place, hopefully this will provide better returns for our fishermen.
The Western Gulf Fishermen's Association is in the process of doing a feasibility study on the freezer and cold storage facility. We would also like to have a live lobster holding facility attached to this facility. On a final note, I would like to present to the standing committee a letter I recently sent to the federal fisheries minister, Gail Shea, requesting a lobster licence transfer freeze within the fishing area we represent.