Fisheries committee  To answer the question, we've done some assessment around American swordfish transshipment as well, positioned in Trepassey and some other ports in our region. Exactly the same issue comes into play. Customs is a challenge. The quick answer to the question would be, in my view, to provide the local detachment of the RCMP the function of being able to clear a boat for customs as opposed to having a customs officer come out of St.

Fisheries committee  What do you do? I guess I can bring the political perspective too, because I did that in a past life and dealt with harbour authorities and so on. Let's be frank. I did a quick count, and I think in an ideal world I could perhaps bring the 12 harbour authorities that I think are in existence in my region around the table and say, okay, from a purely economic development perspective here, we're going to prioritize and we're going to do a five- to seven-year business plan around what our port facilities are.

Fisheries committee  Regarding the question on competition among ports, and perhaps your question on the emerging need for recreational users following the cod moratorium, I think it would be important to note that the development of harbour authorities virtually coincided, I suppose in many cases, with the codfish moratorium, so it was happening at around the same time.

Fisheries committee  I'll speak to the last question. It may be too preliminary for us to know just exactly what the details of the advantage of bringing these vessels to our region potentially might be. It might be just a little too early. I've seen a copy of the draft report to see what the competitive advantage of our region might be.

Fisheries committee  As I think my remarks suggested, we're seeing a trend in relation to the significance of the recreational and pleasure boater to the potential sustainability of these harbour authorities. I think this is a trend you've seen. It's out there. I couldn't give you the revenue percentage, on a harbour authority by harbour authority basis, that comes from recreational pleasure craft, but I suspect it would be an interesting number to have, if we don't already have it.

Fisheries committee  We are in the process of completing an assessment in our region to analyze the potential of positioning port facilities in our region to intercept some of the transatlantic pleasure craft, the yachting traffic. The preliminary market research we've seen suggests that, particularly on the eastern seaboard of the United States, there is an emerging concern with respect to insurance and overwintering of these sorts of vessels, to the point that insurers are refusing to carry vessels that are overwintering.

Fisheries committee  Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. On behalf of the Irish Loop Development Board, I'd like to welcome you to Newfoundland and Labrador, and particularly the Avalon region. We wish you the best of luck in your deliberations and I hope you enjoy your stay in the province.