‘It’s a slap in the face’

By Aaron Beswick

FOR THE SOU’WESTER

Transcontinental Media/Northern Pen

It won’t help much, if at all. That’s the consensus of lobster fishermen, the Fish Food and Allied Workers’ (FFAW) union and other small boat fishermen of the Northern Peninsula in Newfoundland and Labrador on the assistance package announced last week by federal Fisheries Minister Gail Shea.

For instance, how effort reduction, less fishermen or less traps – referred to in the announcement – is implemented is yet to be seen.

DFO estimates that 25 per cent of LFAs in Atlantic Canada will qualify for the $15-million to fund locally developed plans that would result in fewer fishermen catching more lobster.

The $15-million in short-term transitional contributions will go to low-income harvesters “severely harmed” by the market collapse. The money will compensate a portion of lost income due to low prices. To qualify, fishermen have to prove they are essentially lobster dependent, earned income from lobster fishing in 2008 and 2009 and seen their lobster based income drop by 25 per cent in 2009. There’s also money for marketing. “The circumstances affecting the lobster industry are unique and lobster fishers had nothing to do with the collapse in lobster prices,” said Ms. Shea while announcing the program. “All they want is the chance to continue making an honest living doing the job they love. These short term measures will allow us to work with the industry to ensure a sustainable, self-reliant and flexible lobster sector for years to come.”

But nobody else seems very excited.

Humber-St. Barbe-Baie Verte MP Gerry Byrne offered a breakdown of the figures. “For an industry that is worth $1-billion a year to the economies of five eastern Canadian provinces, this announcement will result in an average of $2.6-million in assistance per province per year (over five years),” said Mr. Byrne. “For an industry worth $1-billion and with incomes already down by $100-million, the question to ask is ‘ will fishermen be able to weather the storm as a result of this help’? The answer is obviously ‘no’.”

The FFAW wanted three things that weren’t in the minister’s announcement: •An immediate extension of fishermen’s Employment Insurance (EI) claims by five weeks – putting money in pockets right away. •The option for fishermen to base this fall’s EI claims upon last year’s earnings, allowing some relief because this season’s low earnings may result in some fishermen no qualifying. •$400-million for a fleet rationalization program. “It’s a start, I suppose,” said the FFAW’s Roland Hedderson of the federal plan. “ We know that this has got to go between all the lobster fishermen who qualify, but what about the other fishermen hurting bad? Here we are in a market crunch putting too much product into the market – if they knew they would qualify for EI this fall, it would be better for fishermen and markets to leave the fish in the water.”

Castor River North’s Pat Tatchell is one of the lobster fishermen not sure if he’ll qualify or what he’ll get.

Over a three-day period two weeks ago he hauled 1,400 traps and landed 317 lb. of lobster. From that he has to pay gas and bait, maintain equipment and live. It’s just not enough. “ What they announced is garbage to us,” said Raleigh small boat fishermen Alvin Elliott, who won’t qualify because he doesn’t have a lobster licence. “It’s just a slap in the face as far as I’m concerned.”

The lump roe fishery has also been hit this year by low landings – in a two-week period this year Elliott caught 168 lb. of the egg bearing fish, compared to 3,500 lb. the year before.

Demand for cod has gone down so far, Elliott doesn’t even know if he’ll find a buyer. There’s essentially no lobster fishery north of Eddies Cove East, but there are still plenty of small boat fishermen having a terrible year. The announcement includes nothing for them.