Madam Chair, I certainly sympathize with the minister but it is unfortunate that again the government has put us in a situation that is devastating to a fishery on the east coast of Canada. People spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to get into this industry and to have the likes of this happen is disgraceful.
There has been a 63% drop in the total allowable catch. There has been a total mismanagement of the fishery. A boat can catch 27,000 pounds, down from 58,000 pounds. The snow crab draw is important for the inshore fishery in Atlantic Canada. The lobster fishery that is having such great difficulty is down to 28 allotments. How unfortunate it is. This is another slap in the face for the inshore fishery in eastern Canada.
What is the minister going to do for the people involved in the fishery? What is the government going to do for the people working in the plants, the people who depend on the snow crab fishery for employment? How are these people going to make a living? What programs is the government going to put in place so that these people can have a decent life?
I also would like the minister to explain how the people involved in the snow crab fishery, who have spent such large sums of money, can survive today with the likes of this total mismanagement and such a devastating slap in the face to their economy.