Thank you.
I want to start by commending all of you on the tremendous efforts you have been making since 2017 to protect right whales. Despite what some environmental groups may say, you have set the standard, and I think you should be recognized internationally for your efforts.
I'll start with Mr. Lanteigne and Mr. Noël. I want to talk safety, and I'm going to follow up on what Mr. Perkins said.
Over the past five years, perhaps more so during the last two, my fellow members have noticed that the Gulf of St. Lawrence was closed almost the entire season starting at the end of May, or just before, because right whales were in the area. DFO reported that over 90% of the quota had still been caught. You brought up security, and that plays a very important role in all this.
First, do you think dynamic fishery closures work?
Second, what changes can be made to dynamic closures to provide greater access to certain areas and ensure that safety is the top priority? We of course want to save right whales, but as we know, moving traps can cause incidents, as we saw this year.
What changes would you recommend to dynamic closure management without affecting the market? As we've seen, changes have been made over the past five years.
What do you recommend?