Mr. Speaker, this coming Saturday has been designated as World Fisheries Day. It is important that Canadians and the rest of the world recognize the importance of the fishery in our economies and the devastating consequences that will result if we do not start doing a better job at protecting this industry.
The collapse of the northern cod fishery is a prime example of what can occur when we take fishing stocks for granted. The results are that thousands of fishers have been forced out of the fishery, bringing to an end a way of life that has survived for generations.
I am not convinced that our fisheries minister has learned anything from past mistakes. For months now I have tried to focus his attention on the serious illegal lobster activity going on in West Nova. The minister is intent on believing that the problem has been addressed.
Fishers, along with regional DFO officials, continue to tell me otherwise. It continues to be a serious problem that must be addressed before the lucrative West Nova lobster industry goes by the wayside like the northern cod fishery.