The Newfoundland seafood sector has expressed disagreement with calls for a closure of the capelin fishery, deeming them misguided. The Association of Seafood Producers (ASP) asserts that the fishery is backed by science and that the recent stock assessment indicates the biomass index is near the average, with a possible slight increase. The commercial fishery removals last year were a small fraction of the total removals by other sources. The ASP also points out that the harvest does not significantly affect the availability of food for other species. The organization is in favor of more science in the issue and believes that the fishing industry has a vested interest in the sustainability of the capelin species.