Changes Needed for Northern Shrimp

Recent announcements on Northern Shrimp require urgent attention and some significant adjustments by the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans.

“Fish harvesters and their communities are on the verge of economic disaster while the offshore corporate fleet has access to more shrimp than ever before. This is unacceptable,” said Keith Sullivan, President of FFAW-Unifor.

Along the Southern Labrador Coast as far north as Cartwright, major environmental shifts are taking place resulting in changes to species distribution in the region.

Fish harvesters are recommending reasonable and necessary changes to the recent Northern Shrimp Advisory announcement. Those recommendations include:

• As outlined in the LIFO review, the immediate removal of the Offshore from Shrimp Fishing Area (SFA) 06
• Inshore fleets be given access north of SFA 06, with increases in the north in lieu of decreases in the south which is all part of the same stock

“The offshore corporate fleet cannot have it both ways, with continued access to SFA 06 and exclusive access to other, valuable and abundant shrimp fishing areas,” said Roland Genge, 4R Shrimp Committee Vice-Chair and long time deputy mayor of Anchor Point. “If the federal government truly wants to promote and protect inshore owner-operators and coastal communities, they would ensure fairness and a secure future for harvesters in our region.”