I call the meeting to order.
Good morning, everyone. Welcome to our committee meeting this morning. We're studying the status of the Atlantic herring and its trends.
Today we have the officials from the department to give testimony and answer questions. I will remind everyone that we will close up this portion of the meeting at 10:30 to allow 15 minutes for committee business at the end.
Here from the department, we have Frédéric Beauregard Tellier, director general, biodiversity management; Adam Burns, director general of fisheries resource management, and no stranger to the committee; Marc LeCouffe, acting regional director, resource management and aboriginal fisheries branch, gulf region; Brian Lester, assistant director, integrated resource management; and Kent Smedbol, manager, population ecology division, maritimes region.
You have 10 minutes. I believe, Mr. Burns, you might be starting.