The graphs show activity in the fisheries over the last two cycles. For example, traditional crabbers harvested almost 110,000 tons from 1999 to 2002, as well as from 2003 to 2009. However, during the second cycle, an additional 40,000 tons were harvested. We are accused of overfishing, but we are not the ones who harvested those 40,000 tons; it is the Department that made that decision in order to meet its own obligations. It should be managing the lobster fishery properly. There is no reason why crabbers or the crab resource should have to pay for the mistakes made in managing the lobster or groundfish fishery, but that is exactly what is happening now. The crab resource is paying for those mistakes. We are doing exactly the same thing in the case of crab.
Crab is a highly profitable resource which was very well managed until 2000, at which time the sharing began. Nobody asked for assistance at that point. In fact, it is only since 2003 that fishers have begun to ask for help, but we have reached the same point as everyone else. No one is able to earn a living from the fishery anymore. The Department is using the resource to meet its obligations because of poor management or ad hocery.