Nor did we ever say they were responsible for the collapse of the stocks. On the other hand, if you ask 40 people to pick strawberries in a field, it is likely that more of them will end up being crushed. That is what I am saying. We went from 150 to 400 fishers, and then to almost 700. Even last year, the number was 400. We went from 18,000 to 38,000 traps. It is impossible for that not to have an impact. We are not saying they are responsible for everything that has happened; that is not the case. However, we should not be forcing everyone to consider economics ahead of biology and the environment. If economics are what dictate your course of action, you do not think the same way and you will always be pushing a little harder. Everyone is pushing a little harder.
Last year, we asked for 19,900 tons; the Department said it would have to be 19,200 tons. We are talking about a difference of 700 tons. Departmental officials made a big deal of it, saying that fishers were always asking for larger quotas. Today, even with an additional 700 tons, I think we would still be facing the same problem. The Department, even its own biologists, did not see this coming. Economically speaking, though, we need certain quotas in order to live. For three years now, we have not been living. We all know about the cyclical collapse of the stocks; it will happen again 10 to 12 years from now.