As I said, in order to make the most of my speaking time, I will just dive in straight away.
Since 2017, the presence of right whales in the gulf has been front and centre for all of the stakeholders who are in any way involved in the fishing industry in Atlantic Canada. The snow crab fishery is without a doubt the worst hit.
Today, I would like to call your attention to the issue of safety at sea.
Let me begin by reminding you that in 2018, the DFO set a closure date of June 30. The fishing season was thus shortened by 15 days. That meant that fishermen had to catch their quota as quickly as possible.
On top of this huge loss in terms of fishing time, we also have to maximize the number of days during which we can fish before the right whales arrive.
This forces the entire industry to work like mad in order to start fishing as quickly as possible in the spring. It becomes a risky business, and I will explain why.
Even though everyone is talking about climate change, winter in the Gulf of St. Lawrence remains a difficult and hazardous season. Since 2018, a lot of effort has gone into breaking up the ice in channels and ports as well as getting the fleets into the water, which costs a lot of money, requires tremendous effort and involves big risks. The Coast Guard, the fishing ports, the boat warehouses and all kinds of private businesses, including the processing plants, get to work so that fishing may start as quickly as possible. All this goes on in winter conditions.
This year, our fishing season started on April 13. It was a pretty good date, and you will no doubt agree with me when I say that in the end, Mother Nature is the one who decides when the fishing season starts.
Some people and organizations would like a fixed date, so that the fishermen who are able to get out to sea can do so. We are firmly against this approach. We have set up a committee on season openings, which includes all fishery stakeholders, such as the DFO, the Canadian Coast Guard and Environment Canada. We think that this is the best way to ensure a safe start to fishing for everyone. Otherwise, the risk of loss of life is much too high.
I will now turn over to the president of the Fédération régionale acadienne des pêcheurs professionnels.
Thank you.