Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I think it's very important that we stick with the original motion's direction to have at least four meetings, because this northern cod fishery is extremely important to Newfoundland and Labrador. Cutting the number of meetings down from four to two would be a complete injustice to those who make their living on the water in Newfoundland and Labrador and who have been hurting.
Who knows what the future holds? The fishery's up and down every year, so we have to make sure that we're doing the right thing for this stock.
Given the track record of the foreign nation member countries of NAFO on overfishing outside of our 200-mile limit and sneaking in across.... Last year, the number of enforcement days by DFO patrol vessels was less than half of the seven-year running average. The danger is that NAFO countries will get up to their old tricks again and steal our fish as a result of this decision to move the stewardship fishery to a commercial fishery, and it puts the future recovery of our northern cod stock in great jeopardy.
To give something that is as important as this to Newfoundland and Labrador and the fishing industry only two meetings would be a great injustice, so I support Ms. Barron's subamendment to have four meetings and carry on from there.
Thank you.