Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister of Fisheries and Oceans announced on April 22nd, that allocations for northern participation in the Greenland Halibut Fishery for 1996 was a total quota of area OA of 5,500 tonnes; an in-shore quota for Inuit of 1,000 tonnes and off-shore for Inuit of 500 tonnes. This represents an increase of 100 tonnes over the previous year for northern participants. That is still 500 tonnes less than what was requested.

The remainder of the quota was allocated as follows: for licensed groundfish holders, it's 1,500 tonnes; for Seaku Fisheries of northern Quebec, 70 tonnes; Nunavik Arctic Foods of northern Quebec, 70 tonnes; Labrador Inuit Development Corporation, 70 tonnes; Torngat Co-op of Labrador, 160 tonnes; Clearwater Fine Foods of Nova Scotia, 230 tonnes; and, Seafreez Foods Incorporated of Nova Scotia, 1,900 tonnes.

Although the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board, along with the Baffin Industry Groundfish Committee and the Qikiqtaaluk Wildlife Board had recommended a greater share for allocation of northern fishermen, the federal Fisheries Minister alone determines these allocations and that is what his decision was at the time; although I had, as well, recommended the recommendations of the Baffin organizations in a letter that I had sent to the Minister. I am still hopeful that the Minister will allow the exploratory fishery -- recommended by the Baffin organizations for up to 2,000 tonnes -- to proceed in area OB which is North Baffin.

I have renewed my request again to meet with the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans as soon as possible regarding our interest in this matter, along with the need to discuss other issues that we have concerning fisheries with the Minister as soon as possible. The meeting last week was cancelled due to my need to attend some funerals, as well as the very limited time available that the Minister's staff had indicated to us late last week. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, the meeting is requested of the Minister, in asking that sufficient time be given to us to address all the issues that we have outstanding regarding fisheries. Officials are presently in contact with the Minister's office in Ottawa to set up an appropriate time in the next week or so. Thank you.