Thank you, Madam Chair.
Where the wild Atlantic salmon thrive, life thrives. They are a key indicator that we have clean air, clean water, healthy people and pristine ecosystems. This magnificent creature is a symbol of hope and resilience for all of us.
Newfoundland and Labrador has approximately 70% of the rivers in Atlantic Canada, as well as 70% of the salmon stocks. If we can't get it right here, then I think the rest of the provinces, and probably the world, are doomed.
There's a mental health aspect. I'm an educator in the school system, and I've been an angler for 40 years. We're teaching the young kids about how to raise baby salmon and release them into the river. There's a mental health aspect to being in nature. There are so many factors. So much positivity comes from the wild Atlantic salmon that it's invaluable.
It's culturally authentic in Newfoundland and Labrador. My great-grandfather and grandfather were commercial salmon fishers on the North Atlantic Ocean. The indigenous folks relied on the wild Atlantic salmon for centuries. The cold-water salmon is probably the healthiest food you can eat.
Now, we know that Mother Nature bats last all the time. She's the final cleanup hitter, and she's in trouble. She needs our help. In recent years, there has been a decimation of the wild Atlantic salmon globally, and especially in Newfoundland and Labrador. I can see the numbers and the counters. I talk to anglers on the river. We're in trouble. I guess that's why we're all here—to try to make a difference.
I think we need a multipronged approach with everybody. There are enough smart people in Canada, and definitely in the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and around this room, to get the job done.
Madam Chair, I want to thank you for this opportunity. I don't have all the answers, but having a boot on the ground in nature and studying it for decades, I'm sure I've got some.
Thank you very much.