We have first about 15 years of data in our information systems that give us a very good appreciation of the kinds of projects, locations, and circumstances that would cause what we call a HADD, or a harmful alteration or destruction of fish habitat. We have a good sense, and that's all based on science, around what kinds of projects would have caused a HADD. We are now in the process of transition, as Kevin has pointed out, to a world where we need to be looking at impacts and serious harm to ongoing productivity for commercial, recreational, or aboriginal fisheries.
One of the key steps for us in that transition is to have the science foundation to develop the definitions that would then guide the application of this legislation by the department staff in considering proposals that come from proponents. That's the focus we have currently, to provide that rigorous, science-based guidance to staff, which will also involve, as Mr. Stringer has pointed out, a comprehensive engagement and discussion with all interests, stakeholders and proponents, in terms of arriving at that. That will then inform the regulations that Kevin has also referred to, which is a key area of focus for us in moving towards initial implementation of the new provisions and being able to be clear with a project proponent on what we would expect to see from them in the documentation that would be provided to the department for our assessment—to see if there is serious harm to the ongoing productivity of a commercial, recreational, or aboriginal fishery, to be positioned to provide a response and a determination within the prescribed timelines that the other regulation is going to establish, so that we have a commitment to when we would have to get back to proponents and so on.
That's the stage we're at. It's going to be a science-based process with a lot of engagement, a lot of discussion about how we will formulate that framework and the specific direction we would be providing to staff, as well as the guidance we provide to project proponents and so on.