Fisheries committee  There are two components to lobster seasons, and a lot of those seasons have been in place for decades—a very long time, in the case of the Maritimes. They are a combination of biological and ecological considerations as well as economic considerations. The biological considerations that we in DFO science can speak to are seasonality relating to life events around moulting and breeding.

Fisheries committee  There are a few considerations. They are more susceptible to both lethal and sublethal effects in handling, simply because they are very soft shelled—

Fisheries committee  It does depend on how they're handled.

Fisheries committee  I would have to say that the short answer is that it's unknown. We have first principles, biological and ecological reasons, to suggest to minimize interaction with lobsters when they are soft shell or when they're in their breeding season, but we don't have definitive evidence to suggest that's the case.

Fisheries committee  There certainly have been substantial and, I would say, remarkable increases in lobster productivity and abundance in the last 20 years. Whether or not that can be directly attributed to conservation or seasonality is.... Remember, those seasons have been in place for a long time.

Fisheries committee  Yes, thank you for your question. Again, I can speak to aspects of that related to the science sector. Certainly, in the last number of years, they've rolled out a number of training programs for our science staff to make them aware of moderate livelihood, the Marshall decision and indigenous reconciliation programs.

Fisheries committee  As a member of the science sector, I'm not aware of a definition, but really it's not something for the science sector to speak to. That would be a policy statement and a government-to-government issue.

Fisheries committee  I'll take that back as a follow-up request and see if we can provide the committee with something. But I think the minister did, before the committee—

Fisheries committee  In terms of removals from moderate livelihood, I don't, or at least the science sector does not, currently have that information, and again, I'm unaware if other branches within the department have that information.

Fisheries committee  That response actually requires a little context. I think most on the committee understand how our assessments are undertaken. We monitor, particularly in LFA 34, commercial catch and we have some independent fishery surveys—

Fisheries committee  The way we assess changes in the population is by comparing catch per unit effort within area 34 relative to that in previous years. Until we have all of the information in from this particular year, we can't fulsomely undertake that comparison. Secondly, given that we are looking backwards, if you will, in time it can take several years actually to detect a potential impact of any removal or additional removals or other type of activity on the population level trends within LFA 34.

Fisheries committee  Matt, perhaps you could respond.

Fisheries committee  I think there are life history stages, which have a seasonal component, in which they are potentially more susceptible to handling than they are at other times of the year.

Fisheries committee  Yes. I would just take it back and look at it from a broader perspective. When we, within DFO science, give advice to management around—

Fisheries committee  There are important considerations around seasonality, as I said, and I'll ask my colleague to step in—