Communities Dependent on Revival and Rebuilding of Provincial Fishery
According to a local longtime fishery advocate who spoke to CBC.ca, the Government of Canada has ‘practically abandoned’ the province’s fishery in Newfoundland and Labrador.
The fishery is federally regulated, but residents are urging the provincial government to put more pressure on the federal government to manage the fisheries effectively. CBC’s source, Gus Etchegary, believes that elected representatives have not been giving enough credit to the long-term benefits associated with rebuilding the fishery. Fisheries can provide renewable resources if maintained and fished appropriately.
People living in fishing communities across the province already witnessed big changes in 2020 when the Dutch Crown corporation Royal Greenland was named the largest fish processor provincially and began seizing control over many processing plants and licenses. The fishery’s union condemned the move at the time. NDP has also spoken out, questioning whether a foreign company would appropriately regard the communities’ long-term interests. The Liberal party has defended their approval of the decision last Fall, by referring to Royal Greenland spending $21 million provincially thus far and creating jobs.
Although Newfoundland and Labrador’s provincial election deadline is approaching, none of the major parties have released an election platform that fully details plans for the fisheries. However, they all spoke on CBC Radio’s the Broadcast about their stance on the issue. Continue reading below to see what each candidate had to say.
Where Provincial Politicians Stand during the Election
Read more about how candidates can help the provincial fishery, and what they have said about the matter so far, at CBC.ca
“...But each weighed in on the fishery on CBC Radio's the Broadcast, with Liberal candidate, and former fisheries minister, Elvis Loveless unwilling to pit oil and fishing against each other even as concerns are raised about the impact of the former's seismic exploration activities. ‘There's no reason why we can't do both. A balanced approach is important. I think we can do both, because both industries are crucial and vital to Newfoundland and Labrador,’ said Loveless, who is running in Fortune Bay-Cape La Hune.
Tony Wakeham, running for the Progressive Conservatives in Stephenville-Port au Port, agreed ‘a balanced approach is the way to go,’ while NDP St. John's Centre candidate Jim Dinn urged for proper measures to be put in place to ensure ‘long after the extractive resource is gone, we're still going to have a fishery.’
On Friday, the PCs announced they would, if elected, cut bureaucracy in the fishery, and grow the industry in a sustainable way, while getting the provincial government more involved by striving for joint management with Ottawa. ‘We need to help our fish harvesters and our coastal communities rejuvenate their economies by working directly with those in the industry, and not with government and bureaucrats,’ said Wakeham.
The Liberals and NDP also stressed giving the people working on boats, and those in fish and processing plants, a bigger say in their industry's future. ‘That's who we need to be listening to, I believe, in terms of making decisions,’ said Loveless.”
Source: Fight for Our Fisheries, Advocate Urges N.L. Candidates- CBC News Canada
Photo Source: WIX - www.wix.com
Written by AQUAMERGE
February 4, 2021