Mr. Chair, we know that fishers are having an extremely tough time, and I appreciate that the hon. member sees it every day, as I do.
The crisis that the lobster industry is facing, of course, is because of the market. That is why we have invested $10 million in marketing. If we, as an industry, land 100 million pounds of lobsters and they are down by $2 a pound, that is $200 million gone out of the economy. The only way we can recover that money is to help the markets recover. That is why it is important to put money into marketing.
As for the $4 a pound, which the hon. member has said is the break-even point, I just want to make this comment: That $4 a pound is break-even when we take into account the capitalization and a prolonged low price. I talked to a gentleman last week who was fortunate enough to land 30,000 pounds of lobsters, and 30,000 pounds of lobsters at $3 a pound is $90,000, so he will be fine. He is still making money at $3 a pound.
As to the $4 a pound, we have to look at it in context. That takes into account paying for the boat and everything over a number of years with prolonged low prices. I do believe we have the supply; we just have to increase the demand. That is why it is very important to put money into marketing.