Fisheries committee  I wasn't there at the time, Mr. Arnold. I think, from the statements you're making, the advice provided by the minister was the consensus opinion through the CSAS process.

Fisheries committee  I don't think we're ignoring factors at all, Mr. Arnold. We have a rather robust research program to try to understand exactly the predation rates of pinnipeds on salmon. We're looking at the diets of salmon both through DNA technology and hard-part analysis of their scat samples to try to understand the species variation across the diets, but also where they are found geographically.

Fisheries committee  We publish on a regular basis aerial surveys data for numbers of seals. There's a report coming out on the scat analysis in a relatively short period of time, and there's of course collaborations with other researchers, like in Washington state, on diet research as well. There's a fairly regular publication of data as the research has concluded.

Fisheries committee  I think he would be. I don't have any way of controlling Mr. Korman, nor would I attempt to.

Fisheries committee  As I understand it, the scientific consensus report is available on our website.

Fisheries committee  The scientific consensus report is what's arrived at through the CSAS process.

Fisheries committee  It is the science, Mr. Arnold.

Fisheries committee  I don't have knowledge as to what you're speaking of, Mr. Arnold.

Fisheries committee  I'm sorry, I did not follow all that. I don't believe we have a process that removes advice, but we have a CSAS process that provides advice and I know that particular report is on our website.

Fisheries committee  I'm aware of the issue, Mr. Arnold, but I'm not aware of the statements you're reading to me from your paper there.

Fisheries committee  The agreed-to science advisory board is on the website.

Fisheries committee  As I understand it, the consensus on science advice is on the website.

Fisheries committee  It is certainly true that, in trying to understand the multitude of factors that affect Pacific salmon populations, it is a complex picture, and we know that there are multiple factors that positively influence the returning populations of Pacific salmon. Certainly, that's one reason we conduct the diet composition studies for pinniped populations, but it's also why we invest time and energy into pathogen studies, habitat studies, monitoring the returns throughout the north Pacific climate change study, etc.

Fisheries committee  I can certainly speak in terms of Pacific funding, and maybe my colleague, Dr. Vigneault, can speak to other funding. We have a very healthy research program within the fishery on the west coast. The research program for Pacific regions has approximately $100 million with about 540 researchers who are involved in all aspects of our scientific research program.

Fisheries committee  Mr. Chair, I would respectfully suggest that it might be a better question for the fisheries management representative, Jennifer Buie.