Finance committee  There's no question--

Finance committee  There are two aspects. First, if we fail to do this we will lose what we currently have. Our natural production is disappearing. I'm not talking about upgrading what we have; we need to look at new options and new facilities. I'll give you an example. We have about 850 to 900 steelhead coming back to the Thompson River this year.

Finance committee  No, I believe and have always believed they go hand in hand. The first thing you have to understand is that the recreational fishery generates $1.4 billion and harvests less than 10% of the total run. So its impact is minimal and it leaves a large amount of stock available for commercial harvest.

Finance committee  The numbers or the examples are legion. First of all, in the main, the people in Ottawa have no experience in fisheries management and no experience in fisheries. They simply direct money to their specifics. We've seen SEP reduced dramatically over the timeframe. On habitat stock, the habitat protection budget has been reduced by 90%.

Finance committee  First, I'd start off by saying I don't believe that fish farms played any significant role in the loss of the fish returning this year. There is a bit of evidence around to say that they never even made it out of the Fraser River. The problem, as I mention in my brief, is that the stock assessment operating budget has been cut by 50%.

Finance committee  Thank you, Mr. Chairman and members of the committee. I appreciate the opportunity to appear before you today. My name is William, or Bill, Otway. You have my background in the brief previously submitted. I'd like to advise you, with pleasure, that the Shuswap regional association of the B.C.