We are against that type of system for a couple of reasons.
First of all, there is an economic reason. This province is having some pretty harsh times. I'm sure everyone knows that near and far. The prices of food and anything else here.... People want to put food on the table, as I highlighted earlier.
On top of that is the fact that there are fewer and fewer people involved in the food fishery every single year. In the last report I read, a 2010 Department of Fisheries and Oceans report on recreational fishing, there was a decline of almost half. If I recall correctly, in 2005 there were about 130,000 rec fishers on the water, and in 2010, it was estimated to be around 70,000.
We have an aging population in this province. The average age of a hunter or angler in this province is about 50. It is even above 60 to 70. Getting younger people involved in this is a priority for us. If we lose part of this heritage, we won't get it back. That's one of the main issues here.
If DFO is looking to put in cod licensing and cod tags, I would highly recommend that it not put it on the residents of this province. I would not say that we are against non-residents being allocated fish through a tag and licensing system. That's understandable.
With regard to the price, if DFO wanted to continue with the charge or fee, the money they would gain would go strictly into a non-governmental, with the government being neutral, conservation efforts in this province.