Thank you to our colleagues.
I am sitting in on this committee. I sat on the committee for a number of years. Previously, when we first went through the Fisheries Act review and changes to it, we had some incredible testimony. I'm glad to see that we've kept up some of the non-partisan part of this committee here today as well, with Mr. Cormier's questions.
This is a general question for all of our witnesses here. The inconsistencies in this department, from the west coast to the east coast, are absolutely killing our fisheries. We have 154 critical fishery stocks. In the last go at this, we found that over 21 of the 24 most critical stocks were at species-at-risk classifications. This department has failed to actually look after the fisheries management plans, which means engaging with our stakeholders—first nations, those who make a living and depend on the fishery stocks.
To the guests who are here today, are our fishery stocks and how our fisheries industry is struggling clear indications that DFO, in its entirety, needs to be restructured and focused on stakeholders and on managing fish so that we have fish for today and for the future? I open it up to whoever wants to jump in.
Mr. McIsaac, you go first.