This is a question that we've been debating ourselves, nationally, from the perspective of engagement of stakeholders through our many advisory processes.
The FFAW is certified under provincial legislation to represent inshore harvesters, for the purposes of price negotiation. The department has acknowledged that role and, over many years, has consulted with the FFAW, in addition to other stakeholders, on all issues related to the inshore fishery, but not exclusively so. For example, although they are the certified bargaining agent for all inshore harvesters, where there are specific issues that involve—For example, the mobile gear inshore fleet have a particular type of fishery on which they need to engage with us. We engage with them directly. Sometimes harvesters in a particular geographic area, such as Labrador, have a particular issue and we engage with them specifically.
We don't universally deal with the FFAW on all matters. They are a significant stakeholder and we continue to engage with them, of course, but we also have an open dialogue with harvesters directly, depending on the issue and the fishery.
