Mr. Speaker, experts are telling us, as they get together to talk about these things, that there is no clear evidence of an imminent commercial fishery in the international waters of the central Arctic, but that does not mean we are not moving ahead with gathering information. We support, as I have said, a pragmatic and precautionary approach to fisheries management, where we can gather the necessary information we need and fully consider northern aboriginal interests before management decisions are taken, and that is the direction that we are going in.
We agree with the other coastal states that improving our knowledge of the state of the Arctic fisheries, their potential and habitat is a priority. Canada will continue to work collaboratively to address these important information needs and develop an international approach that respects Canadian interests and ensures that any Arctic fisheries will be sustainable.