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FFAW-Unifor Update: Productive Meeting with Minister Highlights Unity and Progress

Today, representatives from the Fish, Food and Allied Workers Union (FFAW-Unifor) joined a highly constructive meeting with the provincial Minister of Fisheries, Lisa Dempster. Representing the FFAW were President Dwan
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Plant Workers Await Urgent Meeting with Government Amid Processing Crisis

ST. JOHN’S, NL –Plant workers represented by FFAW-Unifor have been waiting for over a month to secure a meeting with Minister Lisa Dempster to address the escalating crisis impacting crab
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STILL NO ANSWER: Where are Premier Hogan and Minister Dempster?

After an initial meeting with FFAW-Unifor President Dwan Street, Executive Assistant to the President Crystal-Lynn Gorman and harvesters Glen Winslow and John Efford, two urgent letters—dated June 9 and June
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FFAW-Unifor

FFAW-Unifor

14,000 working Newfoundlanders and Labradorians - a history steeped in the fishing industry.

12 hours ago

FFAW-Unifor
STICK TO THE NINE-POINT PLAN: Ensure Annual Minimum ProductionFollowing a productive meeting between FFAW-Unifor and provincial Minister of Fisheries, Lisa Dempster, the provincial government has reaffirmed its dedication to enacting previous Minister Gerry Byrne’s nine-point plan.As part of the nine-point plan, the provincial government will ensure processing licences are actively used to support local employment and economic activity. Currently, processors must meet minimum production thresholds in two out of every five years. Under the new rules, licence holders must meet minimum production levels annually.This change prioritizes active, consistent processors who are invested in working with harvesters and providing steady employment for processing workers. This shift support a more responsive, reliable processing sector, ultimately contributing to a more stable and competitive marketplace for Newfoundland and Labrador’s inshore fishery ... See MoreSee Less
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1 day ago

FFAW-Unifor
🔵STICK TO THE NINE-POINT PLAN: Control Corporate ConcentrationFollowing a productive meeting between FFAW-Unifor and provincial Minister of Fisheries, Lisa Dempster, the provincial government has reaffirmed its dedication to enacting previous Minister Gerry Byrne’s nine-point plan.As part of the plan, the provincial government is moving to strengthen its oversight of corporate control in the fish processing sector by drafting changes to the Fish Processing Licensing Policy Manual and amending the Fish Inspection Act regulations. These changes will prohibit not only the transfer of ownership of snow crab processing licenses, but also the transfer of control through indirect means, such as loans, and debt arrangements. This is a proactive step to close regulatory loopholes that have allowed consolidation of processing capacity under a small number of corporate players.For inshore fish harvesters, this will help preserve fair access to local processing options and prevent large processors from dictating prices and limiting competition. For plant workers, this will work to prevent instability, shorter work seasons, and closures. By keeping control of licenses transparent and local, these changes aim to protect the integrity of the processing sector, ensure more equitable market conditions, and strengthen the viability of small, community-based operations that are key to the province’s rural economy. ... See MoreSee Less
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2 days ago

FFAW-Unifor
🔵MPAS VS MARINE REFUGES: WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?This article was originally published in the Spring/Summer 2025 edition of the Union Forum Magazine, written by Katie Power, Industry Relations Representative.Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are established under the Oceans Act and refer to marine closures such as the Laurentian Channel. As of 2019, oil and gas exploration and exploitation, mining, dumping, and bottom trawling are prohibited. Additional activity may be prohibited or allowed based on the risks they pose to achieving the specific conservation objectives of the MPA. What’s important for fish harvesters is that while no bottom trawling can take place in MPAs, there may be additional fishing restrictions imposed as well. This is typically the case! Marine Refuges are established under the Fisheries Act and are a bit less cut and dry than MPAs. These closures are fishing closures and imposed fishing industry restrictions only. Rather than having blanket prohibitions, each Refuge has its own restrictions and the gear types allowed vary from closure to closure, depending on its conservation objectives. All activities are assessed on a case-by-case basis. Marine Refuges in NL include the Hopedale Saddle, Northeast NL Slope, and the 3O Coral Closure for corals and sponges, and the Hawke Channel (Box), and Funk Island Deep for cod.So, what is meant by “bottom trawling” according to DFO? In the case of the Laurentian Channel and all MPAs, bottom trawling or bottom contact fishing refers to single bottom otter trawl (side or stern), twin (double) bottom otter trawl, beam trawl, shrimp trawl (aka modified otter trawl), twin (double) shrimp trawl, triple shrimp trawl, hydraulic clam dredge, scallop dredge, and scallop drags are prohibited in those types of closures. However, in the case of some Marine Refuges, bottom trawling may also include pair bottom trawl, demersal or boat seines (Danish seine or Scottish seine), pair seine, midwater (pelagic) trawl (side or stern), midwater (pelagic) pair trawl, semi pelagic trawl, any mobile drag, rake or dredge. This is not to say all the aforementioned gear types are disallowed in all closures. Again, this varies from closure to closure, so let’s break it down:LAURENTIAN CHANNEL MPA All recreational and commercial fishing activity is prohibited in all zones of this MPA.FUNK ISLAND DEEP AND HAWKE CHANNEL MARINE REFUGES Prohibited gear types: Mobile bottom-contact gear (e.g., bottom trawl), benthic longline, bottom set gillnet, midwater trawl, fish traps/trap nets, benthic handline. Compatible gear types (fishing gear that IS ALLOWED): crab pots, large pelagic tended lines, rod and reel, electric harpoon, and small pelagic purse seine. HOPEDALE SADDLE, NE SLOPE & 3O CLOSURE MARINE REFUGES Prohibited gear types: All bottom-contact fishing gear including but not limited to mobile gear (e.g., bottom trawl), benthic longline, bottom-set gillnet, pots.Compatible gear types: large pelagic tended lines, rod and reel, electric harpoon, and small pelagic purse seine.Members with questions or concerns are encouraged to reach out to their local DFO detachment: - Bay Roberts: 786-0295 - Clarenville: 466-8273 - Marystown: 279-7863 - Twillingate: 884-5139 - Springdale: 673-5252 - Stephenville: 643-8001 - Rocky Harbour: 458-3083 - Goose Bay: 896-6153 - Offshore: 772-4412 ... See MoreSee Less
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4 days ago

FFAW-Unifor
📣 3KL COD OPENING JULY 13Today DFO announced a July 13th opening for the 3KL inshore fixed gear cod fishery, along with the weekly and biweekly limits, all of which was recommended by the FFAW Cod Working Group. The question has been asked why the weekly and biweekly limits did not change very much from last year despite the quota doubling for 3KL. There are several reasons:- There are more fishing weeks in 2025 than 2024. This year the fishery opens two weeks earlier than last year and this year’s quota increase will allow the summer season to stay open until the fall season begins on September 14. Last year, the summer quota was caught and the fishery closed on August 26 and didn’t reopen for the fall until September 15 – which is three weeks. Between the earlier opening and filling that gap between the summer and fall seasons, that’s an additional five weeks fishing in 2025 compared to 2024.- Processing capacity. Last year, many harvesters were unable to sell their weekly limit due to lack of processing capacity. We can expect some increase in processing capacity this year, which should allow more harvesters to sell their weekly limit.- Buddy-up now available. This year, buddy-up is available for the first time in the cod fishery. With this comes a chance that previously inactive licenses could become active. Doubling the weekly limit with more active licenses would result in less weeks fishing. The Working Group put together the best plan possible while trying to balance fairness for all harvesters and ensuring the quota gets taken. There has also been questions about whether other fleets, like offshore draggers, can take inshore quota if not harvested. DFO has confirmed that this cannot happen. ... See MoreSee Less
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4 days ago

FFAW-Unifor
📣 CAPELIN UPDATE The capelin fishery is set to begin this weekend in Conception Bay, with the fixed gear fleet starting on Saturday and purse seiners on Sunday.The path to getting this fishery started was not an easy one. We lost the Panel decision, then we lost the fishery on the Southern Shore. Earlier this week we received an offer of 40 cents from one company. While the committee firmly believes the market will support a higher price, they also realize the importance of this fishery to harvesters, plant workers, truck drivers, monitors, and many more. With that 40 cent offer from one company, we set to work getting other companies signed on. The following companies have agreed to pay on the 40-cent schedule: Barry Group, Golden Shell, Happy Adventure Sea Products, OCI, Beothic Fish Processors, and Notre Dame Seafoods. Two big companies have not made their intentions known: Quinlan Brothers and Quin-Sea Fisheries. A commitment was made to capelin harvesters on the Southern Shore and that will be upheld. They missed their fishery because of this dispute, so the quota for that area will become part of the flex (452 t of quota from Cape Neddick to Cape Pine) and harvesters that were active last year will be compensated by a levy placed on all capelin sales (based on receipted sales from last year; expected to be between half and three-quarters of a cent). This will be reviewed and administered by the capelin committee.2025 CAPELIN PRICE TABLE Minimum pricing for capelin will be determined using the “Sampling Procedure” outlined in paragraph 5.0 (of the 2022 schedule) and based on the following:For Grade A price ($0.40), the capelin must meet the following specifications:i) 55 count and underii) Maximum 10% feed contentiii) Minimum 40% useable females, classifying less than 5.25 inch females as males fordetermining eligibility for the ‘A’ price only.If one or more of these conditions have not been met, the minimum price shall be determined in accordance with the price table attached: Percent female and count per kilo are established using ocean run capelin.For capelin falling outside of these specifications, the price shall be determined between the individual harvester and processor.This price table replaces section 4.0 of the capelin schedule. All other terms and conditions remain the same. ... See MoreSee Less
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