FFAW Condemns Federal Budget's Short-Sighted Neglect of Fisheries Sector

ST. JOHN’S, NL – The Fish, Food and Allied Workers (FFAW) is issuing a call to action following the federal budget tabled by Prime Minister Mark Carney and Finance Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne, calling out the federal government for seemingly abandoning Newfoundland and Labrador’s vital fisheries sector at a time when bold investments are desperately needed to secure its future.

In a budget that promises economic renewal for Canada, the glaring absence of targeted funding for the country’s seafood industries – including the booming lobster fishery – signals a profound disconnect from the realities facing coastal communities. This failure not only undermines the livelihoods of thousands of fish harvesters and processing workers, but also risks eroding the sustainable practices that have defined our industry for generations.

“The federal budget is not giving us much comfort when we see nothing in there that benefits our members and our coastal economies,” says Dwan Street, FFAW President. “We’ve been clear for years: our fisheries need federal support to innovate, adapt to a changing climate, build infrastructure, and expand markets. Instead, we’re left with crumbs while Ottawa prioritizes everything but us. This isn’t fiscal prudence – it’s fiscal negligence, and it will cost jobs, communities, and our way of life.”

Compounding this oversight is the growing alarm over potential cuts to the Atlantic Fisheries Fund (AFF); a vital federal program that has been instrumental in driving advancements across our lobster and broader seafood sectors. Without renewed commitment, these much-needed investments – from vessel modernization to processing upgrades – could vanish entirely, leaving harvesters and plants ill-equipped to compete in a global market. The FFAW is calling on the federal government to immediately clarify the program’s status and make clear where fisheries stand in terms of federal priorities.

Further fueling concerns are persistent rumours of impending threats to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO), including potential reductions in staffing and resources for fisheries science and management. These functions are already struggling to deliver timely, science-based advice, with chronic underfunding leading to offloading responsibility on industry, delayed quotas or quotas determined without adequate data, and enforcement gaps that erode trust in the system.

“DFO’s science and management teams are already struggling to carry out their mandate, and any further cuts would be catastrophic,” states Jamie Baker, FFAW Secretary-Treasurer. “Canadians deserve a fisheries department that works for them – one that provides the data and oversight needed for healthy stocks and fair access. The rumour suggesting DFO will be combined with Natural Resources is alarming to say the least,” Baker says. “On top of the lack of budget clarity, the federal government has also failed to provide tariff relief support to the owner-operator fish harvesters significantly impacted by Chinese tariffs on Canadian seafood. The federal program, while offering support to businesses, is inexplicably excluding enterprise owners from the benefits, despite being classified as businesses under CRA,” Baker adds.

Premier Tony Wakeham has called attention to the matter, and the Union is seeking support from all federal MPs in the province to do the same, including Minister Joanne Thompson.

“We simply cannot let our industry be put on the back burner,” concludes Street.