MEDIA RELEASE: Former Provincial Fisheries Minister Supported Ending Historical Northern Cod Agreement for NL

ST. JOHN’S, NL – FFAW-Unifor, during the federal injunction discovery process, has learned that former provincial Minister of Fisheries, Forestry, and Agriculture, Elvis Loveless, issued a letter to federal counterpart, Minister Diane Lebouthillier, stating the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador’s support for ending the historical agreement for inshore harvesters and permitting offshore draggers back on the recovering stock. FFAW-Unifor is calling on the provincial government for an urgent explanation and statement on where the province stands on this matter of grave economic and cultural importance.

“We received a copy of a letter sent from then-fisheries Minister Elvis Loveless stating that the province supported withdrawing the historical agreement made to our province over 40 years ago and permitting offshore draggers back on the Northern cod stock. Our Union was very surprised to see this information, given the province’s public support of reversing the decision made by Lebouthillier earlier this year in a letter from Premier Andrew Furey on July 3rd and in subsequent discussions since,” says FFAW-Unifor President Greg Pretty.

In the letter dated as received on October 5, 2023, Loveless lobbied on behalf of offshore companies to break the historic agreement and re-allow draggers on the fishery. Loveless stated on behalf of offshore companies in relation to the 115,000t agreement, “While we are pleased that inshore harvesters and Indigenous groups receive an allocation, it is important to our province that our offshore fleet is also allocated a quota for Northern cod.”

The position from Loveless is contrary to public statements made by the Premier and current Minister Byrne since Lebouthillier’s June decision. The provincial government has since acknowledged that the decision for a Commercial Northern Cod Fishery is an affront to inshore fish harvesters, plant workers, and the hundreds of communities who were guaranteed access to a recovered northern cod stock.

“We understand that the Premier has brought concern for the offshore allocations directly to the Prime Minister and Minister Lebouthillier, however, that doesn’t balance the disappointment felt by the thousands of inshore fish harvesters and plant workers that we represent. We look forward to the province publicly retracting the position that former Minister Loveless advocated for in 2023,” Pretty concludes.

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