MEDIA RELEASE: FFAW-Unifor to Hold Rally Today to Stop Closure of 3Ps Cod Fishery

March 31, 2021 – FFAW-Unifor will hold a rally at MP Churence Rogers’ office, 79 Manitoba Drive in Clarenville, today at 11:00AM to bring awareness to the significant impact that a closure of the 3Ps cod fishery would have on harvesters, plant workers, enterprises, businesses, and hundreds of families in coastal communities who depend on this fishery. The Union is calling on the Minister to reject the recommendation to close the 3Ps cod fishery in light of insufficient DFO science for the most recent assessment, as well as concerns over the seal overpopulation, and data showing an improvement in catch rates.

“In recent years, inaccurate management regimes have placed many of our coastal communities in a very precarious position,” said Keith Sullivan, President of FFAW-Unifor. “A closure of the cod fishery in 3Ps would be devastating to the South Coast of the province. This does not align with the federal government’s vision for a blue economy and challenges the provincial government’s plan for economic recovery.”

The inshore cod fishery in 3Ps is a major employer for the area. The recommendation to close the fishery is being made with no plan for reopening. There is no plan to address the seal population that drives mortality in the cod stocks. Once this area is closed, it will likely remain so for a long time.

“This is about choices,” continued Sullivan. “The federal government can either choose to favor politics and protect the seal population, or it can protect the inshore fishery and the thousands of people that depend on it for survival. I invite all Newfoundlanders and Labradorians to join us and express support for fair fisheries management policies. At a time when our economy is already vulnerable, we cannot afford to ignore the critical role that the inshore fishery plays in building vibrant, sustainable rural communities.”

The rally will be streamed live over Facebook on the FFAW Facebook page.

-30-

For media inquiries, please contact:

Courtney Langille, FFAW-Unifor Communications Officer
clangille@ffaw.ca
(709) 693-8454