You are right on the money with your comment about individuality. Obviously, fishing is a very individualistic industry and that is one of my greatest regrets. If the 10,000 lobster fishers from villages that are dependent on lobster fishing presented a united front, then they would be a force to be reckoned with. Just look at the Fédération des producteurs de lait du Québec and at other powerful federations. I lament this state of affairs.
You spoke about the marketing efforts targeting other countries. There are, however, problems other than the fishery per se. Our region does not have any air transportation infrastructure. We do not have the proper infrastructure to bring a quality live product to market quickly. Add to this the glaring problem I spoke of earlier, namely that Boston is the trading hub of the lobster industry. Until now, very little effort has been made to get around the fact that everything is concentrated in Boston. Regardless of its provenance, the product is shipped from Boston to Europe. So then, the product is always American, even though it may come from Canada, from the Magdalen Islands. It is difficult to avoid this trading hub. I am not saying that it is impossible, but a very broad commission could be mandated to examine these important issues.
As for regional differences and the search for a common solution...We have made a collective effort and there are some positives to report. On examining the report of the FRCC, it becomes clear that the state of the fleet and the lobster fishery of each province are similar in many respects. While a minimum amount of latitude is required, particularly in terms of a federal-provincial program, the industry shares many common characteristics. People who attend the different gatherings or meetings like the one held recently in Moncton may hold different views. Obviously, representatives of organizations do not have absolute control over their members. Our associations, at least the ones in Quebec, are staffed by volunteers. People are free to express their views in committee.