Should things not change, we believe that virtually no shrimp industry in Atlantic Canada would be able to continue to operate. We'd then have to look at a licence buyback program.
We've started to work with our fishers on that. These fishers are going to do everything they can to try to survive, because this fishery is important to them. If it doesn't work, we'll have to set up a licence buyback program. We'll also have to go back to the drawing board, go back to previous years and find an agreement with the department. As you just said, it may help resolve the situation of people who own a fishing business, but what about the deckhands? What will happen to them?
This week we heard Mr. Burns say that he was working with other departments. Offering employment insurance benefits during the first year is not a panacea. In my opinion, the plan really has to be redone and we have to work with the department to give those redfish allocations to the people who need them.