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AGREEMENT REACHED FOR HARVESTERS AFFECTED BY CENOVUS DREDGING OPERATIONS

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AGREEMENT REACHED FOR HARVESTERS AFFECTED BY CENOVUS DREDGING OPERATIONS
October 31, 2024

An Agreement in Principle has been facilitated by the FFAW between Cenovus and the Fisheries Liaison Committee, comprised of fish harvesters from the Placentia Bay region. The agreement will allow compensation to fish harvesters for losses associated with dredging operations set to kick off tomorrow, November 1.

Specific details of the Agreement are protected by a confidentiality agreement, and individual claimants will be contacted directly by the FFAW.

Harvesters are reminded the area to be dredged comprises a total of 0.907km2. A map of the dredging areas and disposal site is below. Cenovus is hopeful dredging will conclude before the end of the year, but operations may proceed into January.

This compensation deal does not include potential blasting. Cenovus has assured the FLC they have no approvals for blasting and it is not expected based on the test holes performed, however the signed agreement is clear that should blasting be needed, additional compensation must be negotiated.

Payments and claims will be administered by Cenovus. The FFAW is receiving no compensation or administrative fees. Thank you to the Committee for their hard work on these negotiations.

Additional negotiations will take place in 2025 for those affected by the tow-out operation. More details will be communicated to members in the coming months.

Cenovus has committed to having membership meetings near Bar Haven and Arnold’s Cove ahead of the inshore Concrete Gravity Based Structure tow out mid November. This tow out is scheduled for May 10th, 2025.

Cenovus has committed to having membership meetings for 3L harvesters ahead of the offshore tow out in December. This tow out is scheduled for June/July 2025.

Harvesters should be diligent with logbooks and relevant record keeping, and maintain receipts for the next 3-5 years to potentially substantiate compensation claims for lost income due to the Cenovus West White Rose Project.

Members of the Committee:

Loretta Ward
Jamie Barnett
Charlie O’Leary
Kurtis Kerrivan
Pete Griffiths

FFAW Staff Liaisons:

Katie Power, Industry Relations Representative 709-576-7276
Jamie Baker, 3Ps Member Representative 709-576-7276

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Dr. Erin Carruthers

Dr. Erin Carruthers is the Science Director and Senior Fisheries Scientist with the Fish, Food and Allied Workers Union (FFAW-Unifor), which is the labour union that represents the owner-operator fleet in Newfoundland and Labrador. The FFAW is committed to research and management that supports healthy oceans, fisheries, and coastal communities. Dr. Carruthers received her Ph. D. in Biology from Memorial University in 2011 followed by a postdoctoral fellowship with the Centre for Fisheries Ecosystems Research. Before coming to Newfoundland, Erin worked as a Research Biologist with Fisheries and Oceans Canada at the St. Andrews Biological Station. Her current research program is co-constructed with fish harvesters and includes research on coastal fishing communities, collaborative longline and trap surveys, and best practices for the avoidance, handling and release of unwanted catch.