That's a very good question and a very good point.
On the 1,000 tonnes, that's what the Aquilinis want to do, because they're big players. They have the dollars. They don't have to go to the banks.
I just designed a 100-tonne farm. The price of capital for the equipment came in at $620,000. The operating cost is slightly more than that $1.97, but getting the banks to lend private individuals money is next to impossible. Also, the process of applying for grants is onerous and the success rate is not that high.
For us to expand this business to the mom-and-pop shops--that's a name I give it--they need provincial or federal help--loan guarantees or whatever--because the banks do not lend money for aquaculture ventures. Community Futures has lent money in the past, but when they start paying it back it ends up that the interest rates are very onerous. It's tough for the small entrepreneur to get into this market.
The 1,000 tonnes is not a requirement. The farms in Montana are 160 tonnes and are still profitable. That came in at about a million dollars in capital. Still, a million dollars is a lot of money. That employs I think five people. The 100-tonne farm would employ four people as well. They're not huge employers, but still they're profitable, and they will take pressure off the wild fishery.