Fisheries committee  It's going back to Vigo. It's going all the way back across the ocean without having had an opportunity to get the fish it needs for a profitable trip, and I think that in itself is a deterrent. When it gets there, it will be subject to inspection. Our folks will be there to observe that inspection, and we have every indication that the Spanish government is going to take very significant action if it's confirmed.

Fisheries committee  We did actually have some discussions around this kind of issue and the influence on prices. I think what we saw around the Marshall decision was a very small entry of the government into the market. It set off a process where the escalation in inflation and prices was enormous, and we were not in that market at that point.

Fisheries committee  We don't have activity-based accounting. What we do have is proxy, so we know how many hours our fisheries officers would spend on the seal hunt. The seal hunt has been very intense, in particular in the last couple of years. The hunt on the front was very short. All the quota was taken in a very short period of time, a day or so, and that means you have a lot of people involved for a very short period of time, whereas other fisheries go on for weeks and take different kinds of resources.

Fisheries committee  We made a commitment to try to divide the quotas in the gulf among the various fleets. We want to do that because of the ability then of the fleets to manage the quotas they have, to maximize value. We haven't gone to the minister yet with any recommendations. We are looking at doing that shortly.

Fisheries committee  I'm not sure about 15 yet. That hasn't come to the minister either, or through us. A share usually is something that is established and not subject to review except as specified. For example, in the tuna we had share for a number of years, etc., but whether it's 15 or not remains to be seen.

Fisheries committee  No, it's been stable for the last number of years, ever since we brought in a restricted entry back in the seventies.

Fisheries committee  That's been a mainstay of that area, so most, if not all, were being utilized.

Fisheries committee  It's LFA 25.

Fisheries committee  Several hundred, but I don't have the number off the top of my head. I'll have to send that to you.

Fisheries committee  There are a couple of things on lobster. There's going to be a report from the FRCC coming out over the course of the summer. We hope that will help inform the minister and the department as to what steps could be taken with respect to lobster conservation. The other reports that are being developed by the regional director general, in consultation with the deputy ministers, should be out in the next number of months.

Fisheries committee  There has been a real problem with siltation, and there could be some fishing causes, such as scallop dragging. There's more to it than that, obviously, and that doesn't therefore lead to one's having a very simple solution. There are lots of discussions under way right now. They'll be coming out with recommendations some time in the next number of months that will then allow for a response from governments and from the industry to the crisis that exists there.

Fisheries committee  We have enhanced the enforcement presence on the Fraser River. We are looking at changes to the fishing process this year. Changes would include better monitoring, control, and surveillance of both the commercial and the first nations fisheries; an attempt to negotiate with first nations on the amount for FSC, with a separate amount for their commercial; and having both the commercial fishery and the aboriginal commercial fishery subject to the same kind of monitoring, control, and surveillance, as well as the same landing requirements and reporting requirements.

Fisheries committee  There are four elements. One is whether to have the independent study on the dual marketing or not. The other is the FFMC doing its review. We're looking at working with the provinces in that context--that's the third element. Finally, they're looking at having another review or poll of the fishermen involved to find out their view and whether they are satisfied or not.

Fisheries committee  We're in the process of sending out letters to all the licence-holders. Those letters will have a form that will be an attestation from the fishermen that they're not subject to a controlling agreement. They'll have to make the declaration to a person who will be designated as a fishery officer.

Fisheries committee  I'll have to get back to you with the details on that. I think it's one mile in total.