Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
I would like to welcome some fine folks from my riding of Chilliwack—Hope here, watching us today in the gallery. It is nice to have. I promise I am always this well behaved.
Mr. Stringer, I think you mentioned the special report on wild Atlantic salmon in eastern Canada. I found it very interesting how similar the conclusions are, on a broad basis, to the Cohen inquiry, in that there is no smoking gun. There is encouragement to invest in science, monitor aquaculture, and consider habitat, human effects, climate change, and ocean temperatures.
One specific comment on page 4 says, “Scientists believe there is something going on in the ocean on a global scale that is affecting marine survival”.
Quite frankly, it doesn't sound very scientific. While I think we would all agree that we need to...and DFO has an important science role, it seems a little in the abstract to focus on that.
Perhaps I could get your opinion or the department's view on habitat restoration as it pertains to the Atlantic salmon.
Mr. Sopuck is much too humble to talk about his role in creating the recreational fisheries conservation partnerships program, but this is something that—as I have certainly seen in my own riding—has had a major, tangible impact on salmon-rearing along the Vedder and Chilliwack rivers, for instance.
Could you talk about some of the projects that have been undertaken? Would you agree that perhaps that should be our...? The focus of DFO and government now is on specific habitat restoration, where we can see this is making a real difference on the ground.