Fisheries committee  No, partly because I don't even know what ballast system was in place.

Fisheries committee  The information we can give you is that the Transportation Safety Board will be releasing the final report on November 23. We will then have the final report and their recommendations.

Fisheries committee  Yes.

Fisheries committee  We have received a lot of input. I don't recall the exact number, but upwards of 2,000 fishermen have been at the meetings we've had. We have had comments on the proposals over the past two to two and a half years. So we have had a lot of input. One of the significant aspects to come out has been this issue of the stability requirements.

Fisheries committee  Absolutely.

Fisheries committee  I can only tell you that it's an inspected vessel. Our involvement is that the vessel is an inspected vessel. The vessel was operating.... I can't tell you anything about what the report might contain. Our involvement is that it was an inspected vessel, therefore plans were submitted.

Fisheries committee  Yes, it would have an impact, because first of all, one of the aspects of the Cap Rouge II is that there had been some significant modifications to the vessel. The vessel was not being operated for the purpose it was designed for. There had been a much bigger net attached to the vessel.

Fisheries committee  “Less costly” means that depending on the size of the vessel and depending on the type of operation—if they go very far offshore or if they are close to inshore—the requirements will be tailored to that type of risk. Therefore, if we have a vessel that doesn't go very far offshore, the requirement may be a simplified stability requirement that is not as costly.

Fisheries committee  As risk...

Fisheries committee  Yes. For example, we made recently an analysis to know how much time the fisherman is at sea, how much time he is exposed to risks. We made a thorough analysis to make really sure to know whether we should require a stability booklet or if the simplified stability is sufficient, and where we should draw the line.

Fisheries committee  From the safety perspective, the rules will apply equally across the country. What we are taking into consideration is dependent on the risk that the fisheries are in. The requirements in that case may be different, but in terms of the requirements for a similar vessel on the east coast that is more or less doing the same operation as one on the west coast, if it doesn't go more than two miles offshore, the regulations also apply.

Fisheries committee  I think what I said was that there would be a cost, rather than a cost savings.

Fisheries committee  It is not really specified. It says the following: “fishing vessel stability regulations”, “proposed stability requirements”. We took this into consideration. It depends on the length in a certain way. For longer, bigger vessels, we obviously request a stability booklet. It is natural.

Fisheries committee  I'm nodding yes, because we certainly can provide them, and they will not be put in place before the information is provided.

Fisheries committee  There is likely to be a cost.