Madam Chair, I really do appreciate the Member’s comments. I know I mentioned yesterday that, with the Great Slave Lake fishery, that is something that over the next two and a half years I think we need to put some real push behind. I have had meetings with the Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation. We need to be working together with the industry, both in Hay River and here in Yellowknife. I really think we can make some progress here. It is a resource that is right here. It’s at our doorstep.
I know Mr. Bromley has been here for a number of years. We used to be taking a lot more fish out of that lake than we currently are. I do believe there’s some room to move there. I’ve been encouraged with the discussions I have had with the Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation. Our efforts will be on how we can work together. I think that’s how we’re going to proceed on that.
It gets back to some of the dialogue that we’ve heard through the Economic Opportunities Strategy. The panel was down in Hay River. This is a subject that has been brought up repeatedly around Great Slave Lake, is the government has to be doing more with the fishery. Certainly I think you’ll see perhaps some recommendations in the EOS report when it does come back through the strategy. We hope to be able to get some solid recommendations that we can act upon. It is a resource that is right there.
As far as Great Bear Lake goes, when I was responding to MLA Yakeleya, there might be some other opportunities, perhaps not through the Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation, for Great Bear trout. It is a specialized product. I can see it being a specialized product. There might be a certain market out there for that fish. I know it is a tremendous fish. Any time I get a chance to go to
Deline, I always have to try the trout from Great Bear Lake. Thank you, Madam Chair.