Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Ms. Gelfand and Ms. Clark.
Obviously aquaculture is a big, divisive issue on the west coast. People look at the economic benefits. They also consider estimates that 80% of the salmon being exported from British Columbia is farmed, which says perhaps something about the vitality of the industry there, or it may say something about the state of the wild salmon, which, of course, is a serious concern to the first nations and indigenous people, sd it's a very iconic species, obviously.
Certainly there are specifics around chinook salmon as the feed for the southern resident killer whales and the health of that stock.
On top of that, you overlay the fact that you have Canada's busiest port there, and shipping traffic is increasing.
The Cohen commission report recommended that aquaculture be basically taken out of the realm of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. There was, in Mr. Justice Cohen's opinion, a conflict between the application of the precautionary principle and an obligation—that's not the correct word—but certainly the role that DFO was supposed to have to basically promote the aquaculture industry.
Can you comment on that?